Israeli journalist Barak Ravid revealed details about the Paris proposal for a hostage deal and entering a ceasefire. He stated that "the broad outlines presented by the Americans in Paris are quite similar to previous outlines with some minor but significant changes. The most important change is the number of prisoners to be released for each Israeli hostage; instead of 3 for 1, the proposal now is 10 for 1, which is three times more than the previous offer."
He continued: "Another important aspect of the new proposal is Israel's willingness to begin the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza as part of the first phase of the deal." He disclosed: "Tonight, the cabinet will discuss the new proposal, and if approved, its terms will be implemented. I expect this to happen, as Israel will likely agree to the deal."
He confirmed that "the mediators in Doha, Cairo, and Washington, as well as Hamas and Israel, realize that reaching a large-scale deal now is impossible, so discussions are focused on a phased deal. If an agreement is reached in phases, we will begin to transition from one stage to another, during which negotiations can lead to greater opportunities for de-escalation. Everyone is saying: Give us what we can for a six-week break during which around 35 to 40 hostages will be released. Perhaps warfare will resume afterward due to the difficulty of maintaining calm, but we may move towards something more limited."
He added: "Both sides understand that they must enter into a deal, particularly the first phase, which could be the last phase. This may be the maximum that can be achieved at this stage because both Israel and Hamas have a common interest now. Despite all the statements from both sides regarding war and their hardline positions, neither wants the war to continue during Ramadan. Therefore, there is a shared interest among Hamas, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States; all want to stop the war during Ramadan."
