First Stage of Gaza Truce Framework Almost Finished, Says Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the first stage of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities framework is close to conclusion, adding that the next stage must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.
Forthcoming Talks in Washington
The Israeli prime minister stated he would talk about the future steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were formalized in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.
“We are close to finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we attain the same results in the second phase, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing with President Trump.”
German Leader Visits Netanyahu
The prime minister was talking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Stage two must come now and then phase three must also be taken into account.”
Merz is the initial leader of a major European state to confer with 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 in Gaza.
After winning federal elections in February, Merz had said he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not at this time being considered. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “biased prosecuting office”.
Terms of the Ongoing Truce
Under the initial stage of the existing ceasefire deal, Hamas freed 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 killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.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 estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions 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 permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.
The sequencing of these actions is vague in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.
“I think it’s crucial to ensure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he stated.
Potential Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances
Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “negotiation”, and reiterated that Israel was firmly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective 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 Legal Proceedings
Netanyahu said the reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as fabricated by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an inquiry.
Netanyahu asserted Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “false charges of starvation and genocide” from a “corrupt official”.
A separate court, the international court of justice, is reviewing allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide.
Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to discuss this at the moment.”
