🔗 Share this article

Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the first part of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire agreement is close to finalization, stating that the second stage must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli leader mentioned he would address the subsequent actions in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were codified in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to ensure that we attain the equivalent objectives in the second phase, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Stage two must start immediately and then the third phase must also be considered.”

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

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not presently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

During the initial stage of the existing ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the remaining 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was put into effect 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 military actions over the same timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, detailed a timetable extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be set up under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these measures is vague in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to make sure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was firmly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu stated the primary reason he would not be able to make a return 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 refuted any misconduct, but stepped down from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “false charges of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised official”.

A separate court, the international court of justice, is weighing up charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission determined that Israel had carried out genocide.

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