Heavy losses, Kerry got caught noting how fast Israel was moving but AFFIRMED:
"You have people who've come out of tunnels. You have a right to go in and take out those tunnels. We completely support that. And we support Israel's right to defend itself against rockets that are continuing to come in.
Hamas has started this process of rocketing, after Israel was trying to find the people who killed three young -- you know, one American kid, three young Israeli citizens. It's disgraceful."
Kerry continued: "And so, yes, it's tough. It's tough to have this kind of operation. And I reacted obviously in a way that, you know, anybody does with respect to young children and civilians. But war is tough, and I said that publicly and I'll say it again. We defend Israel's right to do what it is doing in order to get at those tunnels."
The White House said later that Kerry would soon go to Cairo to seek an immediate cessation of hostilities.
The US stands with Israel.