US President Joe Biden's optimism regarding a ceasefire deal on Gaza stunned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior Israeli source told ABC News on Tuesday.

Reportedly, Netanyahu was "surprised" when Biden said he was hopeful a ceasefire in Gaza could take place "by next Monday."

On the other hand, reports from Israeli analysts suggest that it is difficult to talk about a ceasefire now, with a senior Israeli official saying: "The chances of reaching a ceasefire deal before Ramadan are not high."

Biden informed reporters that he is optimistic that a deal regarding the release of captives and a ceasefire between "Israel" and Hamas will be reached by next Monday.

"My national security adviser tells me that we’re close, we’re close. It’s not done yet, and my hope is that by next Monday we’ll have a ceasefire," Biden said on Monday.

His statement comes after the Israeli delegation returned early on Saturday from Paris after receiving an "updated framework" proposal regarding a prisoner-captive exchange in return for a "temporary ceasefire," which was formulated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.

The new development comes as the occupation entity declared plans to invade densely-populated Rafah amid international objection against plans to attack the small city housing over 1.4 million people.

According to Axios, the agreement was reached during a meeting with senior representatives from the US, Qatar, Egypt, and the occupation entity.

No details were provided on the introduced modifications, but the report said" "progress was made" citing two officials familiar with the matter.

Related News

Palestinian Resistance downs Israeli drone in Gaza amid extensive ops

Iran retaliatory strikes target greater Tel Aviv as injuries reported

Talks about a ceasefire gained momentum recently after reports came out regarding the ongoing negotiations in Paris and in the wake of a Reuters leak of the draft proposal, which was ultimately rejected by the Palestinian Resistance.

PIJ rejects Paris draft 

The Paris ceasefire draft has been the worst one presented to the Resistance yet, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) official Ihsan Ataya on Tuesday told Al Mayadeen, adding that the Resistance would not agree to those ceasefire demands.

"The US and Israeli leaks that have come out aim to pressure the Palestinians and change their views about the Resistance," he said.

The Israeli occupation is trying to pressure the Resistance in an attempt to reach a ceasefire before Holy Ramadan "as a precaution against the likely outbreak of violence that would take place in occupied al-Quds" and the occupied West Bank if the situation remains as it is, Ataya added.

The Israeli occupation "believes that it can blindside the Resistance through non-conventional means to realize an achievement that it otherwise could not through battle," the PIJ top official stressed.

Hamas rejects Paris draft

This follows on the heels of a similar statement made by the Palestinian Resistance faction Hamas earlier in the day: Ahmad Abdul Hadi, Hamas' representative in Lebanon, informed Al Mayadeen that Reuters' leaks regarding the negotiations to work out a ceasefire in Gaza are part of the psychological warfare that fits the narrative and notions the United States is attempting to perpetuate.

He noted that the Resistance is not satisfied with the proposal, adding that it will not compromise on any of its demands, particularly "on a ceasefire and reaching an honorable, serious deal".

Abdul Hadi then affirmed that the Resistance intends to reach a deal that guarantees its people's demands, as Palestinians have sacrificed a great deal, stressing that "Israel will not gain through mediation what it was not able to achieve on the battlefield."

"We are open to any ideas posed by mediators, but are also keen on preserving our key demands," Abdul Hadi told Al Mayadeen, highlighting how the Israeli occupation is "seeking to hold Hamas accountable for any later failures in talks, planning to use this as an excuse to pave the way for the invasion of Rafah."

He revealed that the leaks were part of the Paris negotiations, but were purely the US and "Israel's", who attempted to give the public an illusion that Hamas approved of them, and reiterated that "everything being shared is not serious, but a ploy to maneuver and press on the Resistance."

Reuters' leaks on Paris talks

Earlier today, Reuters had claimed that a senior source close to truce talks in Paris said that Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas has been provided with a draft proposal from the Gaza truce talks in Paris, as the draft includes a 40-day pause in all "military operations" and the exchange of Palestinian detainees for Israeli captives at a ratio of 10 to 1.
 
The source also revealed that under the suggested proposal, hospitals and bakeries in Gaza would be repaired, 500 aid trucks would be allowed entrance into the strip each day and thousands of tents and caravans would be provided to house displaced Palestinians.
 
The draft also mentions that "Israel" would free around 400 Palestinians they have detained on the condition that they be not again detained and in turn, Hamas would release 40 Israeli captives, the sources added.