GAZA: Delegates of Israel and Hamas have reached an initial agreement to implement a temporary humanitarian cease-fire under international and Arab sponsorship, a media report said, citing an informed Palestinian source.

The source, who requested to remain anonymous, told Xinhua news agency that the delegates have to report to senior authorities on both sides for approval and the agreement could be "implemented at any moment".

The source refused to talk about the details of the agreement, but said that "it will be implemented in stages".

He added that a humanitarian truce was expected to be announced soon, under which civilian hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip will be released in exchange for the release of women and children detained by Israel.