🔗 Share this article Initial Phase of Gaza Truce Framework Almost Finished, Says Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the opening stage of the internationally-supported Gaza ceasefire proposal is nearing completion, adding that the subsequent stage must include the disarmament of Hamas. Upcoming Talks in Washington The Israeli premier stated he would address the next steps in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November. “We’re about to finish the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we secure the equivalent outcomes in the next stage, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.” European Leader Visits Netanyahu The prime minister was addressing the media at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Phase two must come now and then stage three must also be examined.” Merz is the first leader of a major European state to confer 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 alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had said he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”. Terms of the Current Ceasefire During the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the final 20 surviving Israeli hostages in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip. Following the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the same period. Next Steps and Ambiguous Timeline Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, set out a timetable extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be established under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza. The timeline of these steps is not clear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament. “I think it’s vital to ensure that Hamas adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he asserted. Possible Options and Political Stances Netanyahu raised the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was firmly 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. ICC Charges and Judicial Cases Netanyahu said the primary reason he would not be able to make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as invented by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but stepped down from his role in May pending the outcome of an inquiry. Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the reputation of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”. A separate court, the international court of justice, is weighing up charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry found that Israel had carried out genocide. Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to consider this at the present time.”