00:00Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel and Hamas are set to begin the second phase of their ceasefire shortly, once the last hostages' remains are returned.
00:13Netanyahu made the comment during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's first visit to Israel as head of state.
00:19In a press conference, the two expressed clear differences when speaking on the topic of Gaza and a two-state solution.
00:25Yet both were also keen to emphasize a commitment to maintaining a closed bilateral relationship.
00:32Merz stood up for Israel's existence and security, but simultaneously said it must be held accountable under international law.
00:55Merz said the second phase of the peace process must begin soon, and said a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution is the way forward towards lasting peace.
01:06Netanyahu contradicted the Chancellor on the point of the two-state solution, a possibility he has repeatedly rejected in the past.
01:13Prior to the meeting, Merz visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, where he laid a wreath in memory of those killed during the Holocaust.
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