Israel and Hamas have agreed a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal following meetings with Qatar's prime minister, a source briefed on the talks has told the BBC. There was no confirmation from the Israeli government or Hamas, but a Hamas official earlier told the BBC it had approved a draft from Qatari, US and Egyptian mediators.

The dispute underscores the fragility of the deal as mediators worked to ensure that it would go into effect on schedule.

A ceasefire in the war in Gaza should be positive for Israel's under-pressure credit rating, Fitch's top sovereign rating analyst said on Thursday. Israel's "A" rating is currently on a downgrade warning,