File photo Hamas' leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh. image:12814:0::0

After months of negotiations with Egyptian mediators, both Hamas and Israel have agreed to a deal aimed at ending militant rocket attacks into Israel, and Israeli raids that kill many innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Implementation of the truce will begin at 6am (0300 GMT) on Thursday, according to a Palestinian official.

Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for Hamas, stated that, "Hamas will adhere to the timetable which was set by Egypt but it is our right to respond to any Israeli aggression before its implementation,"

Israeli officials have not yet confirmed the deal.

Al Jazeera's, David Chater, reporting from Jerusalem, said that Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak, said it was to early to discuss the details of the ceasefire.

"A senior Israeli delegate is travelling to Egypt tonight [Tuesday] to meet [Egyptian intelligence chief Omar] Suleiman, who is leading the negotiations, brokering this deal," Chater said.

"The Israelis have not rubber-stamped any deal yet. There is no agreement yet, as far as the Israelis are concerned, and they are a vital part of any truce."

But a spokesman for Egypt's foreign ministry told Al Jazeera that the quiet confirmation is as official as they will get.

"We had problems in the course of the negotiations because one party didn't recognise the other. In fact, they both don't recognise each other, so we wanted to skip the issue of a formal announcement," said Hossam Zaki, "Both sides have pledged to halt all hostilities and all military activities against each other ... [But] what is said by both sides is not important; what is important is the implementation."

Israel also repeated its demands for a halt to arms smuggling into the Gaza, and the release of an Israeli soldier seized by fighters two years ago.

Hamas has been pushing for the release of about 450 Palestinians from Israel, but it appears unlikely this demand will be met.