Actually Ban is appearing on MSNBC but they are talking over him.
20:53 IST
No truce yet, but we’re still working, says Kerry
John Kerry is speaking now, praising his hosts, and PA chief Abbas, for pushing for a ceasefire as soon as possible.
He talks about the grief and blood of the conflict.
He says Israel is being battered by rockets and targeted through terror tunnels, and cites the death of lone soldier Max Steinberg. “In Gaza hundreds of Palestinians have been killed,” he says, citing yesterday’s attack at a UN school and other incidents.
“Violence breeds violence,” he declares, and calls for “long-term change” that he says “both parties really want.”
Specifically, he says “we are working towards a brief seven days of peace. Seven days of a humanitarian ceasefire in honor of (the Muslim festival) Eid” — leading to talks on a more durable arrangement. “The basic structure is built on the Egyptian initiative,” he says. But the humanitarian element is built on.
Egypt has offered to bring the “Palestinian factions” to Cairo, and other interested parties, and Israel for these talks. “We still have some terminology” to work through. “But we are confident that we have a fundamental framework” that can work.
“We don’t yet have that framework,” he says, “but none of us are stopping.”
He says he just spoke with Netanyahu who “made it clear that he wants to find this way forward.”
He says Ban Ki-moon is pushing a 12-hour time out.
He says he’s flying to Paris tomorrow to meet with “other players who are important to this discussion” and try and narrow the gap, and that Netanyahu is committed to trying to do that.