Over 300 air strikes have killed almost 400 Palestinians, including 8 children.

Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, said the country is engaged in a "war to the bitter end" against Hamas. He said the operation's goal is to force Hamas to stop its "hostile actions" directed at Israeli civilians. And he promised the operation would continue and even intensify.

Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, also spoke out against Hamas. She expressed regret for the civilian casualties from the Israeli air strikes on Gaza, but said the area is paying the price "for what Hamas is doing."

Meanwhile in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, has held a cabinet meeting. Abbas condemned what he is calling "sweeping Israeli aggression", and urged the international community and the Arab world to stop it.

He also declared his intention to hold a meeting with all Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The meeting will try to come up with a united strategy to end the violence.