Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he expects the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire to begin "very soon" once Hamas returns the remains of the last hostage who was taken by Palestinian militants during the Oct. 7, 2023, armed incursion.

First modification: 12/07/2025 - 18:11 Last modification: 12/07/2025 - 18:12

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday in Jerusalem that he hopes Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas will "very soon move to the second phase of the ceasefire" after Hamas returns the remains of the last hostage held in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu made the comments during a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is visiting Israel.

Under the terms of the ceasefire that went into effect on October 10, Palestinian militants pledged to release 47 captives, dead and alive, captured during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.

Netanyahu emphasized that the second phase of the ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza, could begin at the end of December. Hamas has not yet returned the remains of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer who was killed on October 7, 2023 and whose body was transferred to Gaza.

The second stage includes the deployment of an international force to secure Gaza and the formation of a temporary Palestinian government to manage daily affairs under the supervision of an international board led by US President Donald Trump.

The return of Gvili's remains would mark the completion of the first phase of Trump's 20-point ceasefire plan.

Hamas claims it has not been able to access all of the remains because they are buried under rubble from Israel's two-year offensive in Gaza. Israel has accused the militants of delay and threatened to resume military operations or suspend humanitarian aid if all remains are not returned.

Merz said Sunday that Germany is assisting in the implementation of the second phase by sending both officers and diplomats to a U.S.-run civil and military coordination center in southern Israel, and humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Mediators from Gaza, Qatar and Egypt ask for the next steps of the truce

Netanyahu said few believed the first stage of the ceasefire could be achieved and that the second phase is equally challenging.

"As I mentioned to the chancellor, there is a third phase: deradicalizing Gaza, something that is also believed to be impossible. But it was done in Germany, in Japan and in the Gulf States. It can also be done in Gaza, but, of course, Hamas must be dismantled," Netanyahu declared.

For his part, Merz affirmed on Sunday that Germany “will always defend the existence and security of Israel” after the atrocities of the Holocaust.

"This is part of the immutable core of our relationship. This applies today, applies tomorrow and applies forever," said the German leader.

Germany's historic commitment to Israel

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

Netanyahu stated that, although he would like to visit Germany, he has not planned a diplomatic trip for now due to the arrest warrant issued against him last year by the International Criminal Court, the body in charge of prosecuting war crimes and other serious crimes.

Merz stated that there are currently no plans for a visit, but that he could invite Netanyahu in the future. He added that he is not aware of any future sanctions against Israel by the European Union or 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 latest ceasefire began.

Despite this, tensions between the two countries have not disrupted key military ties.

This week, Germany put into operation the first phase of the Israeli-made Arrow anti-missile shield. The $4.5 billion deal was reportedly the largest arms export deal in Israel's history.

Skirmishes persist on the ground

The Israeli army claimed to have killed a militant who approached Israeli troops across the so-called Yellow Line, which divides the part of Gaza under Israeli control from the rest of the territory. Gaza's health ministry says more than 370 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began in October 2025.

In the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, militants killed about 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostage, according to the Israeli government's count. Almost all of the hostages or their remains have been returned through the ceasefire.

The Israeli offensive in Gaza has killed more than 70,100 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which reports to the Hamas government. It is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records that are generally considered reliable by the international community.

Article adapted from its original in English

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