IDF targets Hamas terror tunnel as part of Operation Protective Edge. Photo: Twitter.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire to begin on Friday at 6AM, the BBC and Sky News Arabia reported on Thursday.

The BBC said an Israeli official confirmed that an agreement had been reached at the talks in Cairo, but a Hamas spokesman denied it.

Israeli media reported that Egyptian, Israeli and Palestinian sources said progress had been made in the negotiations, but they denied that an agreement had been reached yet.

The BBC said the deal was agreed by Israeli negotiators in Cairo, but that it had not yet been approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet in Jerusalem.

On Thursday, Israel held a five-hour humanitarian ceasefire to allow supplies to reach Gaza. Earlier in the week, Hamas rejected a ceasefire agreement proposed by Egypt.

Israel’s Operation Protective Edge began nine days ago to stem the rocket attacks by Hamas and other factions within Gaza against Israeli cities and civilian targets.