Israel open to pause in fighting

(CNN) – Secretary of State John Kerry says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to a 12-hour halt in the fighting as a down payment.

Does that mean they're getting somewhere? And Hamas as agreed?

"What we're trying to determine is how to get as quickly as possible to a cease-fire," said Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson for the State Department.

"The secretary today talked about a humanitarian cease fire of seven days that would start in 48 hours. So what he's going to be doing over the next 48 hours is talking with the Qataris, with the Turks, with other partners in Europe to see if we can push the parties to accept this humanitarian cease-fire," she said.

For more of our interview with the State Department's Marie Harf, check out the video above.