🔗 Share this article

Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the initial phase of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire framework is nearing finalization, and added that the next phase must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli leader stated he would examine the next steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were codified in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to complete the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we secure the equivalent outcomes in the second phase, and that’s something I am eager to reviewing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Phase two must start immediately and then the third phase must also be taken into account.”

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

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not presently being considered. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Details of the Ongoing Ceasefire

Under the first phase of the existing ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the final 20 surviving Israeli hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the same period.

Next Steps and Unclear Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, specified a timetable extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these measures is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to ensure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he stated.

Potential Options and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was adamantly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able to make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as invented by the court’s chief 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 pending the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “false allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

Another court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is weighing up allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission found that Israel had committed genocide.

Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to discuss this at the moment.”