Secretary of state designate Hillary Clinton said Tuesday in testimony to her Senate confirmation hearing that the Obama administration would make "every effort" to forge Israeli-Palestinian peace. "The president-elect and I understand and are deeply sympathetic to Israel's desire to defend itself under the current conditions, and to be free of shelling by Hamas rockets," Clinton said in prepared written testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations committee. "However, we have also been reminded of the tragic humanitarian costs of conflict in the Middle East and pained by the suffering of Palestinian and Israeli civilians." The former first lady and presidential candidate said recent events in Gaza had underscored her and president-elect Obama's determination to seek a just and lasting peace agreement.