🔗 Share this article

Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the primary part of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities plan is close to finalization, stating that the next phase must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would examine the future steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were codified in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We are close to complete the initial stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to guarantee that we attain the equivalent results in the next stage, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Phase two must come now and then phase three must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court issued 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 indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not currently under consideration. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

Under the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas released the last 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 killed during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was announced 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 timeframe.

Next Steps and Unclear Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, specified a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to retreat more, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these steps is vague in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements 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 agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he said.

Possible Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “discussion”, and reiterated that Israel was strongly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process supported by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu said the reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as fabricated by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu said Khan was “harming the credibility of the ICC” with “false allegations of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

Another court, the international court of justice, is weighing up allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry found that Israel had committed genocide.

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