Netanyahu Says Cease-fire With Hamas Nearly Ready to Enter “More Difficult” Second Phase

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on December 7 that the U.S.-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is close to completing its first stage and is expected to transition soon into a “more difficult” second phase centered on disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip.

Speaking alongside visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said the cease-fire is “very shortly expected to move into its second phase,” potentially before the end of December. He emphasized that phase two will require Hamas to fulfill its commitment to disarm and relinquish military control of Gaza.

“We’re about to finish the first stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the same results in the second stage, and that’s something I look forward to discussing with President Trump.”

Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump are scheduled to meet next month to finalize key elements of Washington’s Gaza plan. A senior U.S. official confirmed that the Trump administration hopes to announce the transition to phase two within the next two weeks, though some diplomatic arrangements may not be fully completed by year’s end.

Phase Two: Disarmament and Postwar Governance

Netanyahu described phase two as significantly more challenging than the initial cease-fire period, particularly in establishing new governance and security structures to replace Hamas rule.

Trump’s plan calls for a coordinated, multinational civilian and security mechanism to administer Gaza following disarmament. The forthcoming announcement is expected to include the names of participating countries and officials, including Arab partners and Western contributors.

Germany, Merz said, is already assisting the process by sending officers and diplomats to the U.S.-led coordination center in southern Israel and increasing humanitarian support for Gaza.

“Phase two must come now, and then phase three must also be considered,” Merz said, referring to Netanyahu’s broader plan: demilitarization followed by deradicalization.

Netanyahu said deradicalization—phase three—is essential and possible, citing postwar transformations in Germany, Japan, and Gulf states. “It can be done in Gaza, too, but of course Hamas has to be dismantled,” he noted.

Hostages and Cease-fire Requirements

The prime minister acknowledged that the first stage of the cease-fire cannot officially conclude until the final deceased Israeli hostage, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, is returned. Under the October 9 agreement, Hamas was required to return all living and deceased hostages within 72 hours, but delays and disputes have prolonged the process.

Netanyahu Rejects Pardon Talks and Blasts ICC Warrant

During the press conference, Netanyahu also forcefully rejected any notion that he would retire from politics in exchange for a pardon in his corruption trial. “No,” he said plainly.

He ridiculed the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant issued against him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, calling the charges fabricated.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, Netanyahu said, is “destroying the reputation of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of starvation and genocide.”

Because of the warrant, Netanyahu noted he cannot currently visit Germany—despite Merz’s insistence that Berlin remains one of Israel’s closest allies.

German Support and Rising Global Tensions

Earlier in the day, Merz reaffirmed Germany’s historical responsibility and unwavering support for Israel during a solemn visit to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. “Standing by this country is and will remain the unchanging core principle of the Federal Republic of Germany’s policy,” he said.

Netanyahu highlighted growing antisemitism worldwide and extensive Israeli military operations against Iran’s Axis of Resistance. He said these efforts have created “peace opportunities” that he plans to discuss with President Trump later this month.

U.S. Preparing Phase Two Announcement

U.S. officials told Israeli media that Washington is finalizing the structure of Gaza’s postwar administration and hopes to unveil the transition to phase two soon. The announcement will detail the multinational group tasked with security, reconstruction, and governance in Gaza once Hamas is disarmed.

While the timeline may shift, Washington’s goal remains to keep the fragile cease-fire intact and accelerate the removal of Hamas’s military capabilities.

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