🔗 Share this article

Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the opening segment of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire agreement is approaching conclusion, stating that the subsequent stage must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

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

“We’re about to conclude the initial phase,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to make sure that we attain the identical objectives in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Phase two must start immediately and then stage three must also be considered.”

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) delivered 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 in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not at this time planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

Under the initial stage of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.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 estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the identical period.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, set out a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to pull back further, and an international stabilization force is to be set up under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these steps is unclear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

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

Potential Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “discussion”, and emphasized that Israel was adamantly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as manufactured by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but stepped down from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an inquiry.

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

Another court, the international court of justice, is considering charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide.

Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to consider this at the present time.”