The leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, has said the group wants a truce as soon as possible, but with a genuine guarantee to lift the eight-year long siege.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Mr Meshaal said that Palestinians in Gaza wanted to live without the Israeli and Egyptian blockade and open up to the world.

He said the people of Gaza were "being punished with a slow death in the world's biggest prison".

He said: "We are eager that the bloodshed should end in Gaza".