🔗 Share this article Initial Stage of Gaza Ceasefire Plan Almost Finished, Says Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the opening segment of the internationally-supported Gaza truce agreement is nearing completion, noting that the next stage must include the disarmament of Hamas. Upcoming Discussions in Washington The Israeli prime minister revealed he would address the subsequent actions in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November. “We are close to finish the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we secure the identical objectives in the second phase, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.” European Leader Meets with Netanyahu The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “The second phase must begin now and then stage three must also be considered.” Merz is the first head of state of a significant European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court 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 winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”. Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire Under the initial stage of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the last 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 bodies of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, leaving them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip. Following 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 military actions over the identical period. Next Steps and Ambiguous Timeline Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, set out a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to pull back further, and an international stabilization force is to be established under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day administration of Gaza. The order of these measures is ambiguous in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament. “I think it’s crucial to ensure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said. Possible Alternatives and Political Positions Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “debate”, and stressed that Israel was firmly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states. ICC Charges and Legal Proceedings Netanyahu claimed the primary 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 recused himself from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation. Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “false allegations of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”. A separate court, the international court of justice, is reviewing allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission found that Israel had committed genocide. Asked about the possibility of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to consider this at the present time.”