Initial Stage of Gaza Ceasefire Framework Almost Finished, States Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the opening stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza halt in hostilities agreement is nearing completion, noting that the subsequent phase must involve the disarmament of Hamas.
Forthcoming Discussions in Washington
The Israeli prime minister revealed he would address the future steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.
“We are nearing complete the initial phase,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we attain the same results in the next stage, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.”
European Leader Meets with Netanyahu
The prime minister was addressing the media at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “The second phase must come now and then the third phase must also be considered.”
Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued 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 in Gaza.
After winning federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not currently under consideration. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.
Details of the Ongoing Ceasefire
During the initial stage of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the final 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 remains of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a ceasefire line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.
Since the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the identical period.
Future Stages and Unclear Sequencing
Neither 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 stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders headed by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.
The sequencing of these actions is unclear 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 make sure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he stated.
Potential Options and Diplomatic Positions
Netanyahu raised the prospects of “alternatives” 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 “negotiation”, and reiterated that Israel was strongly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.
International Criminal Court Warrants and Judicial Cases
Netanyahu claimed the primary reason he would not be able to make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as manufactured 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 pending the conclusion of an investigation.
Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of deprivation and genocide” from a “compromised official”.
Another tribunal, the international court of justice, is considering charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry found that Israel had carried out genocide.
Asked about the possibility of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to consider this at the moment.”
