Violence continues in the Gaza Strip today despite global pleas for a ceasefire. France's foreign minister says he and President Nicolas Sarkozy are considering going to Israel to try and end the violence in Gaza after Jerusalem rejected a proposed 48-hour pause in the fighting. Alan Johnstone is the former Gaza correspondent for our partner, the BBC. Hamas arranged for his freedom when he was kidnapped by an Islamic militant group. He has been closely following the strife in Gaza. He joins us from London where he has been monitoring the diplomatic efforts to negotiate a cease-fire in this conflict.