Israeli PM says second phase of Gaza Strip plan ‘close’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will meet with US President Donald Trump later this month and said that the second phase of the president’s Gaza Strip plan is close.

At a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, he said that possible peace opportunities would be discussed at the meeting and that the rule of the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the region would be ended.

Negotiations are ongoing on the next stages of Trump’s plan to end the two-year war in the Palestinian region.

The plan also included the release of Israeli hostages and the establishment of an interim technocratic Palestinian government in the strip, overseen by an international “peace board” and supported by an international security force.

Netanyahu said, “I will have very important talks at the end of the month on how to achieve the second phase.”

He also said that the first phase of the plan was nearing completion.

Violence has decreased but not stopped since the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip came into force on October 10.

Since the ceasefire began, Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages and 27 bodies in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and prisoners.

The body of a hostage is still found in the Gaza Strip.