(Adds Israeli comment, background)

GAZA, June 17 (Reuters) - A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will begin on Thursday, a Palestinian official familiar with Egyptian-brokered truce efforts said on Tuesday.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said he was unaware of any deal. There was no immediate comment from Hamas.

"The two sides agreed and the implementation of the truce will begin at 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Thursday," said the Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to announce a deal.

He said the ceasefire was agreed despite Israel's killing of at least six Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

Commenting on the latest violence, the official said both sides were trying to show they agreed to the truce out of strength, not weakness.

A ceasefire would aim to end rocket and mortar bomb attacks on Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and Israeli raids in the territory.

Israeli and Palestinian officials cautioned earlier on Tuesday that under any truce accord, the blockade Israel imposed on the Gaza Strip after Hamas seized the territory a year ago would be eased only gradually and partially. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Writing by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem, Editing by Ori Lewis)

AlertNet news is provided by