🔗 Share this article First Phase of Gaza Truce Framework Nearly Finished, Says Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the primary segment of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities plan is nearing conclusion, stating that the subsequent stage must entail the disarmament of Hamas. Upcoming Talks in Washington The Israeli prime minister revealed he would talk about 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 said. “But we have to guarantee that we secure the identical 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 addressing the media at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Stage two must begin now and then the third phase must also be considered.” Merz is the initial head of state of a major European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza. After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”. Details of the Ongoing Truce Under the initial stage of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the remaining 20 surviving Israeli hostages in exchange 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. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip. Following the ceasefire was announced 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 attacks over the same period. Next Steps and Unclear Timeline Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, set out a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council to run daily administration of Gaza. The sequencing of these steps is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament. “I think it’s important to ensure that Hamas adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he said. Potential Options and Political Stances Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process supported by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states. ICC Warrants and Judicial Cases Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as manufactured by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation. Netanyahu said Khan was “damaging the reputation of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt official”. Another tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide. Questioned about the possibility of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to consider this at the present time.”