Israel, Hamas reach initial agreement on humanitarian truce: source

GAZA, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- An informed Palestinian source said on Tuesday that delegates of Israel and Hamas had reached an initial agreement to implement a temporary humanitarian cease-fire under international and Arab sponsorship.

The source, who requested to remain anonymous, told Xinhua that the delegates had 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.