UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. secretary-general said Tuesday it is his “hope and belief” that his emergency mission to the Middle East will lead to an end to the fighting between Hamas and Israel “in the very near future.”

Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council by videoconference from the West Bank city of Ramallah that he could not publicly reveal details “at this highly sensitive moment.” As he started to address the council a siren could be heard in the background.