🔗 Share this article Initial Stage of Gaza Ceasefire Framework Nearly Complete, Says Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the initial phase of the internationally-supported Gaza truce agreement is nearing conclusion, stating that the second stage must entail the disarmament of Hamas. Forthcoming Discussions in Washington The Israeli leader mentioned he would talk about the future steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were outlined in a UN security council resolution on 17 November. “We’re about to finish the initial stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the equivalent objectives in the next stage, and that’s something I am eager to reviewing with President Trump.” European Leader Meets with Netanyahu The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Phase two must begin now and then phase three must also be examined.” Merz is the initial head of state of a leading European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court issued arrest warrants 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 said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not currently being considered. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”. Terms of the Current Truce During the first phase of the existing ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have pulled back to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip. Since the ceasefire was announced 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 attacks over the identical timeframe. Future Stages and Unclear Sequencing Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders chaired by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza. The timeline of these measures is not clear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed 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 demilitarise,” he said. Possible Alternatives and Political Positions Netanyahu raised the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “debate”, and stressed that Israel was strongly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective 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 Cases Netanyahu stated the primary reason he would not be able make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as invented by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an inquiry. Netanyahu remarked Khan was “harming the credibility of the ICC” with “false charges of starvation and genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”. A separate court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is weighing up charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide. Asked about the possibility of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to discuss this at the current juncture.”