During a press conference alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted the potential onset of the second phase of the ceasefire with Hamas. This crucial step, aimed at disarming Hamas and facilitating the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, could commence as early as the end of the month.

Still unresolved, however, is the tragic case of 24-year-old police officer Ran Gvili, whose remains have yet to be returned by Hamas. Gvili was killed in the attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which ignited the current conflict. His body was reportedly taken to Gaza during the incident.

The second phase of the ceasefire is not without its complexities. It proposes the deployment of an international force to ensure the security of Gaza. Furthermore, it calls for the establishment of a provisional Palestinian government to manage daily operations, overseen by an international board chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump.

A senior Hamas representative, speaking to The Associated Press, indicated the group’s willingness to engage in discussions about potentially “freezing, storing, or laying down” its weapons. This negotiation is seen as a possible solution to one of the most contentious issues currently faced.

Reflecting on the progress thus far, Netanyahu noted that many were skeptical about achieving the ceasefire’s initial stage. He acknowledged that navigating the upcoming second phase will be equally, if not more, challenging.

Netanyahu said few people believed the ceasefire’s first stage could be achieved, and the second phase is just as challenging.

“As I mentioned to the chancellor, there’s a third phase, and that is to deradicalise Gaza, something that also people believed was impossible. But it was done in Germany, it was done in Japan, it was done in the Gulf States. It can be done in Gaza, too, but of course Hamas has to be dismantled,” he said.

The return of Gvili’s remains – and Israel’s return of 15 bodies of Palestinians in exchange – would complete the first phase of Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan.

Hamas says it has not been able to reach all remains because they are buried under rubble left by Israel’s two-year offensive in Gaza. Israel has accused the militants of stalling and threatened to resume military operations or withhold humanitarian aid if all remains are not returned.

A group of families of hostages said in a statement that “we cannot advance to the next phase before Ran Gvili returns home.”

Meanwhile, Israeli military Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir called the so-called Yellow Line that divides the Israeli-controlled majority of Gaza from the rest of the territory a “new border.”

“We have operational control over extensive parts of the Gaza Strip and we will remain on those defense lines,” Zamir said. “The Yellow Line is a new border line, serving as a forward defensive line for our communities and a line of operational activity.”

Germany says support for Israel is unchanged

Merz said Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies, is assisting with the implementation of the second phase by sending officers and diplomats to a US-led civilian and military coordination centre in southern Israel, and by sending humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The chancellor also said Germany still believes that a two-state solution is the best possible option but that “the German federal government remains of the opinion that recognition of a Palestinian state can only come at the end of such a process, not at the beginning.”

The US-drafted plan for Gaza leaves the door open to Palestinian independence. Netanyahu has long asserted that creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and eventually lead to an even larger Hamas-run state on Israel’s borders.

Netanyahu also said that while he would like to visit Germany, he hasn’t planned a diplomatic trip because he is concerned about an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, the UN’s top war crimes court, last year in connection with the war in Gaza.

Merz said there are currently no plans for a visit but he may invite Netanyahu in the future. He added that he is not aware of future sanctions against Israel from the European Union nor any plans to renew German bans on military exports to Israel.

Germany had a temporary ban on exporting military equipment to Israel, which was lifted after the ceasefire began on October 10.

Israel kills militant in Gaza

The Israeli military said it killed a militant who approached its troops across the Yellow Line.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israeli forces have killed more than 370 Palestinians since the start of the ceasefire, and that the bodies of six people killed in attacks had been brought to local hospitals over the past 24 hours.

In the original Hamas-led attack in 2023, the militants killed around 1200 people and took more than 250 others hostage. Almost all the hostages or their remains have been returned in ceasefires or other deals.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed at least 70,360 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government.

The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says that nearly half the dead have been women and children.

The ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas government and its numbers are considered reliable by the UN and other international bodies.