🔗 Share this article Initial Stage of Gaza Ceasefire Plan Nearly Complete, Says Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the first phase of the internationally-supported Gaza truce proposal is close to finalization, adding that the next stage must involve the disarmament of Hamas. Upcoming Discussions in Washington The Israeli leader said he would address the following stages in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November. “We’re about to finish the first phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to guarantee that we attain the identical results in the second stage, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.” European Chancellor Visits Netanyahu The prime minister was talking at a joint press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage two must come now and then phase three must also be considered.” Merz is the initial leader of a significant European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released 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 stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a visit was not at this time planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “biased prosecuting office”. Details of the Current Truce Under the initial stage of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.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 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 Sequencing Not one of Trump’s proposals, 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 scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily administration of Gaza. The sequencing of these measures is not clear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament. “I think it’s vital to make sure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he stated. Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Positions Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states. ICC Warrants and Legal Proceedings Netanyahu said the primary reason he would not be able to make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as fabricated by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an inquiry. Netanyahu remarked Khan was “harming the reputation of the ICC” with “unfounded allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”. A separate tribunal, the international court of justice, is weighing up allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry determined that Israel had carried out genocide. Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to consider this at the moment.”