US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has arrived in Ramallah on the West Bank for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is also visiting leaders in the region to try to cement a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza as fighting has continued throughout the night between both sides.

Both sides have expressed doubts about the other's intentions. Hamas is demanding an end to the blockade on Gaza and targeted killings by Israel, and, have said they would agree to a ceasefire. While an Israeli spokesman Mark Regev sceptically told the BBC: "I have no doubt that Hamas would be more than happy to have a temporary respite - a time out... so they could rest and re-arm and we would have missiles on Israel next week or next month. We are not interested in that."

However, with a ceasefire not on the cards yet, reports say that the Hamas-run government in the centre of Gaza City has been hit by Israeli rocket fire and a rocket from Hamas has made a direct hit on a house in Moshav Timorim in the region of Beer Tuvia although there are no believed injuries. And on the streets the conflict is leading to shortages for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who are running out of basic necessities needed for their survival, including food and clean drinking water.

Written and presented by Ann Salter.