NETANYAHU SAYS ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO ENTER SECOND PHASE OF CEASEFIRE SOON. (PHOTO).
Netanyahu says Israel and Hamas set to enter second phase of ceasefire soon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel and Hamas are expected to move “very shortly” into the second phase of the ceasefire, following the return of the last hostage remains from Gaza. Speaking alongside visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Netanyahu said the next stage, which includes disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza, could begin by the end of the month. The final remains of 24-year-old police officer Ran Gvili, killed in the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack, have yet to be returned. The second phase of the U.S.-crafted ceasefire plan also calls for an international force to secure Gaza and the establishment of a temporary Palestinian government to manage daily affairs under an internationally supervised board led by U.S. President Donald Trump. Netanyahu acknowledged the challenges ahead, saying that while the first phase seemed impossible to many, the second stage—a...