Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that he plans to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump later this month to advance discussions concerning the complex second phase of Washington’s brokered Gaza ceasefire initiative. The upcoming high-level talks, set for late December, come as a comprehensive and lasting calm remains elusive despite an existing truce that began on October 10. Netanyahu’s comments, made in Jerusalem alongside visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, underscored the growing urgency to transition the fragile armistice into a more durable, permanent resolution for the region.
Navigating the Second Phase Demands
The current truce followed a devastating conflict initiated by a Hamas attack two years prior and has been maintained despite repeated accusations of breaches from both Israeli and Hamas forces. The initial phase focused primarily on one critical objective: the return of hostages. During this period, Palestinian militants released 47 remaining Israeli captives, a mix of living individuals and deceased remains, with one Israeli police officer’s body still unaccounted for.
However, the second phase presents significantly more challenging political and security hurdles. According to the U.S. framework, key objectives for this stage include the disarmament of Hamas, further strategic withdrawals of Israeli military forces from Gaza, and the establishment of an international stabilization mission to secure the territory.
“We very shortly expect to move into the second phase, which is more difficult,” Netanyahu told reporters, adding that his meeting with President Trump would specifically explore “opportunities for peace” in the broader regional context. Chancellor Merz echoed this urgency, insisting that the second phase “must come now” and reaffirming Germany’s diplomatic support for a future two-state solution.
Disarmament Remains the Major Sticking Point
The most contentious issue blocking progress remains the demilitarization of Palestinian factions in Gaza. Israel has consistently maintained that the complete disarmament of Hamas and other militant groups is a non-negotiable core condition for allowing the second phase to proceed.
Meanwhile, Hamas leadership has expressed a conditional willingness to relinquish its arms. Khalil al-Hayya, a key Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, stated Saturday that the movement’s weapons are directly linked to the presence of the Israeli occupation. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he asserted that “Our weapon is linked to the presence of the occupation and aggression, and if the occupation ends, this weapon will be handed over to the state.” He noted that the specifics of disarmament are still under discussion with international mediators and various factions. This conditional stance represents a potential shift, as Hamas has previously categorized disarmament as an absolute “red line.”
Continuing Casualties Amidst the Truce
Despite the formal ceasefire, violence continues to plague the region, highlighting the truce’s tenuous nature. Local health authorities report that more than 360 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during this period, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 70,360 since the initial conflict. Additionally, three Israeli soldiers have been killed during this same timeframe, underscoring the instability that diplomats seek urgently to address.
The upcoming discussions between Netanyahu and Trump are viewed as crucial in determining whether the ceasefire arrangement can transition from a temporary halt in fighting to a foundational agreement capable of establishing long-term regional stability, contingent heavily upon finding a solution to the disarmament impasse.