🔗 Share this article

Benjamin Netanyahu has observed that the initial stage of the internationally-supported Gaza ceasefire framework is approaching completion, and added that the second phase must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier said he would talk about the subsequent actions in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were outlined in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are close to conclude the initial phase,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the identical results in the second phase, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “The second phase must start immediately and then phase three must also be considered.”

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

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not at this time being considered. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Ongoing Ceasefire

Under the first phase of the existing ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the last 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, set out a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these steps is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

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

Possible Options and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as invented by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Another court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry determined that Israel had carried out genocide.

Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to consider this at the current juncture.”