Kerry: Hamas in No Position to Claim High Ground

Secretary of State John Kerry is beginning his week in Cairo, pushing for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

In his visit, Kerry joins diplomatic efforts to move both sides to resume a truce that was agreed to in November 2012.

Prior to this trip, Kerry discussed the situation in television news interviews.

"Hamas has to understand you can't just sit there and claim a moral rectitude or the higher ground while you're busy rocketing people and capturing people and digging tunnels to attack them. And this has to stop," Kerry said on ABC News' "This Week."

"They've been offered a ceasefire. And they've refused to take the ceasefire," he charged. "Even though Egypt and others have called for that ceasefire, they've just stubbornly invited further efforts to try to diffuse the ability to be able to rocket Israel."

"So, you know, it's ugly, obviously," he said. "War is ugly. And bad things are going to happen. But they need to recognize their own responsibility. We have offered to have a ceasefire and then negotiate the issues. We've obviously shown our bonafides in the United States."

Kerry's visit follows a call from the U.N. Security Council for a cessation of hostilities and the Gaza death toll. The council met for an emergency session late Sunday.