First Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Plan Nearly Complete, Says Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that the primary segment of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal is approaching finalization, adding that the next phase must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader stated he would talk about the subsequent actions later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were formalized in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the initial stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we achieve the same objectives in the next stage, and that’s something I am eager to discussing with President Trump.”

German Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “The second phase must come now and then stage three must also be examined.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not presently planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

Under the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the remaining 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was declared on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the same period.

Next Steps and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, specified a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be set up under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily administration of Gaza.

The order of these actions is ambiguous in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s important to ensure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he asserted.

Possible Alternatives and Political Stances

Netanyahu raised the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “discussion”, and emphasized that Israel was firmly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as manufactured by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “harming the credibility of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

A separate court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is reviewing allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission found that Israel had carried out genocide.

Asked about the possibility of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to discuss this at the moment.”