WASHINGTON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The White House said on Wednesday there was an urgent need to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas.

"We are working to do it as fast as we possibly can," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters, but added that efforts were complicated because of the number of players involved.

She said the U.S. government still wanted to hear further details about an Egyptian ceasefire proposal. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave U.S. backing to Egypt's efforts on Tuesday.

"We need urgently to conclude some sort of ceasefire that would be lasting, that would endure," Perino said. But she insisted that Hamas must first stop firing rockets into Israel for any truce to take shape.

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