Espn, but only for one week. Steven naismiths remarks about Domestic Violence sparking a firestorm tonight. We want to know what you think about all of this. Make sure you tweet us using the askdon. Were beginning with the breaking news. Hamas angry rejecting a ceasefire advanced by the Palestinian Authority saying there wont be a truce until israel ends what it calls the siege of gaza. But an israeli official blames the ongoing violence on hamas for repeatedly rejecting ceasefire proposals. Cnns Martin Savidge live for us in jerusalem tonight. Hello, martin. You know you saw this video, which purports to show a hamas fighter sneaking out of a tunnel to attack Israeli Soldiers. Does this make israels point about the danger it faces . It does to a point. I guess i should start with the obvious caveats, which is we dont know when this video was shot. We dont know where this video was shot. We dont know how much of this video was edited. We dont event know if it is really legitimate. But that said, it certainly has the look of legitimacy. Hamas claims this was shot during an attack on monday. Israel confirms there was an attack on its soldiers coming from a tunnel by hamas on monday. Hamas says it killed ten israelis. Israel says that five of its soldiers died in the attack. So there is some basic agreement here. The other thing that is interesting by this video, israel has maintained that these are terror tunnels, in other words, tunnels being used to go after the population of israel. Yet in this attack, its against a military target. And we know last week the idf reported that its soldiers were struck from a tunnel before. And in gaza they say theyre being struck from tunnels. In each of those cases what im pointing out here is that the attacks were on soldiers, which could be considered legitimate targets. So in some ways, this is very compelling in supporting hamas argument that no, these tunnels are being used to wage a war, not to go after civilians. And the video wouldnt seem to dispute that. All right. Lets talk again about another ceasefire rejected. Hamas rejected a ceasefire proposed by palestinians on the west bank, insisting on an end to the blockade. Is there any incentive for israel to stop bombing now . Well, you know, if you listen to what is being said, and certainly, if you look at the horrific imagery of the number of civilians killed in gaza, its now 1,229, i think, around there, and if you look at the number of israelis that have been killed, certainly very lopsided, you might think okay, there doesnt appear to be any agreement for a ceasefire. But behind the scenes, there is a sense that maybe this conflict has reached a point where hamas can say, look, its got somewhat of a victory by holding off israel. And israel can say look, weve destroyed most of those terror tunnels. And we have at least inflicted great damage on the rockets. It could be a point where both sides might be willing to stop. Visually, you dont see it. Verbally, you dont hear it. But it could be at that point. Because otherwise israel then would say we got to go all in. Which is do they really want to go after and try and topple hamas, and thereby maybe retake control of gaza, which would be expensive in lives and in money . And hamas, they must know that theyre not going to come out of this if they go fullon with the Israeli Military intact. So it could be that both sides might be reaching a realization point of lets stop where we are. And take it up from there. We dont know. But its possible that point could be reached. I think a lot of people are hoping certainly a ceasefire could come. Don . Martin savidge in jerusalem tonight. Thank you. Im joined by israels ambassador to the United Nations. Good evening, sir. Thank you for joining us tonight. Efforts to reach a ceasefire lasting more than a few hours have come up empty. You heard that hamas rejected a ceasefire proposal by the Palestinian Authority. What is israel ready to agree to in terms of an immediate ceasefire . Well, as you know, israel said yes to a series of ceasefires, also humanitarian ceasefires. And the hamas rejected them. So in the sense, hamas has a very interesting notion of ceasefires. We seize, and they fire. Look, i think its obvious if you look back, what does israel have to do in gaza . I headed israels foreign service. And its important to put the context. When we left gaza, never to look back into gaza. We left gaza into the 67 lines, the green lines. We brought over greenhouses. The idea was to have gaza become a place where people could live. Understood. But what are your terms for a ceasefire now in this ongoing immediate conflict . Its very simple. The equation is really simple. If its going to be quiet in israel, its going to be quiet in gaza. Theres not more than we want. Thats what we wanted initially. If we look back, this could all have been spared. When we ask for a ceasefire and said we wanted a ceasefire, hamas kept on going. We would never known about those terror tunnels, which surprisingly you tell you, mr. Savidge there, that the tunnels reached over to at least three kibbutz in israel which are usually not military installations. The terror tunnels, the firing of rockets on israeli civilians, 2,600 rockets, this is absolutely amazing. Lets put up this video of the tunnels allegedly showing Israeli Soldiers being fired on and killed. Again, this is from al aqsa, saying brigades killed ten Israeli Soldiers. Israel is saying five Israeli Soldiers. Again, cnn cannot confirm the authenticity of this video, independently confirm it. But if its been edited. What do you make of this . Does this prove your argument here . Absolutely. It proves exactly what were saying. There is a maze of terror tunnels in gaza all aimed to basically either murder, maim, or kidnap israelis. We found them with uniform of the idf, with syringes. Theyre out there, day in and day out. Theyre shooting rockets at us. So you have those terror tunnels. You the rockets. And basically, israel is saying, hey, you dont have to be a Rocket Scientist to understand that if rockets fly on your head, youre allowed to defend yourself. No pun intended, im sure. Its more than just the tunnels. Overnight, we aired some of it live here on cnn, the Israeli Military targeted some finance minute industry, hamas radio. Its a mosque. Why those targets . And the followup questions about whether or not there should be a humanitarian effort. But why those targets . Well, you know, its not me. Its the israeli ambassador saying it. But three schools, a u. N. Spokesman says, you know, weapons and rockets were firing from schools. We know theyre shooting rockets from mosques, from civilian installations, from hospitals. They have their headquarters in hospitals. So we have a terrain here. And this is why its so complicated. In the sense, this is why you see, you know, israel so sensitive and what goes on. But why did israel target the radio station, target apparently utility companies, water there appears to be no running water. Sewage is overflowing. I dont think the water was argued the. But in the sense communications of hamas, the propaganda elements. Were trying to basically say, hey, you know, this cannot continue. We are dealing in essence not with a country. Were dealing with a Terror Organization that doesnt recognize israels right to exist. And basically has a clear goal and that is the eradication of the state of israel. Thats their goal. Lets talk about their trying to negotiate a ceasefire, trying to negotiate some calm. The israeli media has been really savidge in its criticism of secretary of state kerry. One headline reads john kerry, the betrayal. A reporter called kerrys peace proposal a strategic terrorist attack. Another called the plan a huge mistake by john kerry. Is this a reflection of what israelis think of the secretary of state and the u. S. In its policies now . Well, first of all, the emotions in israel are high. But i want to tell you, as someone who has served in washington, d. C. , someone who headed the Israeli Foreign service, ambassador to the United Nations we have no better friend than the United States of america standing with us on the front line of this. And i and i think the state of israel really salutes john kerry for what he is trying to do, which is hard. But is this media criticism fair, do you think, these headlines . I was on record saying that the United States and secretary kerry should be applauded on what he is trying to do and trying to reach. Some agreement and a ceasefire in this really complicated area. So from my point of view, thank you to the United States and the people the United States because those are the common values that we cherish of democracies in that region. But if there is one thing, if there is one thing that, you know, i want you to remember out of this interview, and its a simple equation. And that is its going to be quiet in israel, its going to be quiet in gaza. We have nothing that we want more there. All right. Thank you, ambassador. Thank you. Appreciate you joining us here on cnn. Still ahead tonight, israel gets strong support on capitol hill, but particularly among evangelical republicans in america. And there is a theological reason for that. Also ahead, experts weigh in on the heavy criticism of john kerry that we just spoke about in israel. Is it justified . And espn suspends steven a. Smith over comments about Domestic Violence. A look what he said coming up. [ male announcer ] this is the cat that drank the milk. [ meows ]. And let in the dog that woke the man who drove to the control room [ woman ] driverless mode engaged. Find parking space. [ woman ] parking space found. [ male announcer ]. That secured the data that directed the turbines that powered the farm that made the milk that went to the store that reminded the man to buy the milk that was poured by the girl who loved the cat. [ meows ] the internet of everything is changing everything. Cisco. Tomorrow starts here. The internet of everything is ch [music]erything. Defiance is in our bones. Defiance never grows old. Citracal maximum. Easily absorbed calcium plus d. Beauty is bone deep. Two weeks later. Look, credit karma are you talking to websites again . This website says free credit scores. Oh, credit karma yeah its actually free. Look, you dont have to put in your credit card information. Whew credit karma. Really free credit scores. Welcome back. The focus of the conflict in the middle east is on israel. Hamas and the palestinians living in gaza. But if you look at map of gaza, youll see its not just israel that borders that territory. Egypt sits to the south. And that border remains closed to gazans as well. Paula hancocks has more now. Reporter bloody fighting enters its third week in gaza. One key player has lost its negotiating power, egypt. The west looks to egyptian president al sisi for a breakthrough, but things have changed. Just two years ago, deadly violence engulfed the small palestinian territory. Former egyptian president Mohamed Morsi brokers the ceasefire. The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, the group hamas emerged from. But morsi and his party were ousted last year. A former military man took charge. This government in cairo is just very unlikely to do anything that will strengthen the Muslim Brotherhoods palestinian cousin hamas. It views hamas as it views the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to egypts strategic interest. And therefore egypt isnt unhappy to see it weakened in the current fight. Reporter the rafah border rarely opened, only to allow aid in. Or injured gazans out. Hamas wants that border open permanently. There is no commitment from the Egyptian Government and the leadership. And what we have heard from them all the time that israel is responsible and in charge. If they ask to close off a closing point. That will do that. Reporter the blockade of gaza has been in place since 2007. When hamas forcibly ejected its rivals and took control of the territory, one year after winning democratic elections. Egypt, as well as israel, has been destroying tunnels dug under its border over recent months, determined to stop smuggling of weapons to hamas. It also stopped the import of basics like food, gas, and livestock, which made money for hamas. As a result, the hamas authorities in gaza struggle to pay the wages in gaza. And this created a lot of pressure on their rule. And its one of the reasons we believe that hamas initiated a conflict with israel, firing rockets, and then inviting the current conflict. Reporter but as egypt loses influence in gaza, it also loses some of its power as peacemaker. Paula hancocks, cnn, new york. All right, paula. Thank you very much. Secretary of state john kerry is being harshly criticized, especially by israel for his attempt at brokering a ceasefire. So joining me now to talk than and other aspects of this conflict is aaron david mill over the Woodrow Wilson national center. He is a former adviser to six secretaries of state on the arabisraeli peace process. He is also the author of the end of greatness why america cant and doesnt want another great president. Quite a name for a book. So first question to you. You heard the israeli ambassador to the u. N. , ron prosor, who was just on. He told me, quote, we cease, and they fire. Is he right . Look, the reality is that you have a conflict driven by two parties, both of which have needs and requirements that early are going to have to be met in some regard. And there is a narrative on each side. The israelis are trying to degrade and ultimately destroy hamas tunnelling capacity. Its a repository of high trajectory weapons. And hamas goal is to survive, keep its military and political cadre alive. Kill as many israelis as possible. They have already quadrupled the number of idf casualties than in the two previous confrontations. And then ultimately negotiate for what it is i think they want, at least for now, which is to open gaza and deliver benefits for 1. 8 million people. For whom theyre not right now the most popular of leaders. So cease or fire, you know, you decide which narrative you want to take. The reality is at some point, and im not sure were there yet, there will be enough urgency and imperative on each side to begin to deescalate. And at that point, a mediator, egypt, israel, a combination of egypt, the u. S. , the israelis are clearly going to have to be involved, a combination of some sort will find the right terms to create hopefully something more durable. But do you think thats possible . Because the secretary of state has been trying to negotiate with egypt, trying to help broke area ceasefire, and so far nothing and now he is getting highly criticized for it. Don, it goes with the real estate. You dont work on the negotiations without getting hammered and sometimes mercilessly by both sides. I used to be a lot material before i started working on arab aisraeli negotiations. I worked on them for 20 years. It goes with the territory. If kerry can be criticized for anything, in my judgment, its care together much. Its thinking somehow with a degree of urgency that the parties didnt share when he went into this initial mediation effort, that somehow he could just put himself in the middle of the mix and that the mix would cooperate. Well, the reality is the mix does not always cooperate. So youre saying he does not the criticism is not warranted, that he is getting. You heard the ambassador saying listen, we applaud him and we stand by him. We have no greater ally than the United States. No greater friend. I think ron prosor is a diplomats diplomat. I think he probably means it. I think Prime Minister netanyahu has worked with kerry for nine months. We know that president obama and the Prime Minister dont have the best of relationships, to say the least. I think the israelis were perturbed. There is no question that kerry seemed to treat hamas and israel with a sort amount of equivalency. That they elevated hamas requirements without fundamentally sharpening and detailing what israels requirements were. I think all of that is in play here. But, again, i heard George Mitchell tonight on cnn. You do not play the role of mediator without getting beaten down. In fact, the reality is when both sides dont like you but need you, you know in fact that youre actually beginning to accomplish something. Youre probably doing the right thing at least in the moment. You have advised six secretaries of state on this conflict whom. Had the most successful approach . You want me to make tories unhappy. Look, i work for rs and ds, republicans and democrats. All of them had very special qualities. If you ask me flatout, i worked from schultz to colin powell. If you ask me who had the best negotiating skills, who had the support of the president , frankly, who was the best negotiator that weve had since henry kissinger, it would be one guy. It would be james baker. And baker worked on this problem. He was a great actor. The president had his back. He knew how to be tough. He knew how to be fair. He knew how to be very reassuring, developing a relationship with yitzhak. Circumstances cooperated. And the United States, during those years was admired, feared, and respected. The reality is were not any of those things right now. Thus and it lowers our secrete cred and our influence. We can still be effective, but weve got to be very smart, and we have to decide when in fact we can use our influence. I can see why you wrote the book. Thank you. I appreciate it. Youre welcome back any time. We appreciate you joining us. Always a pleasure, don. Thanks. Why are so Many Americans, especially evangelical americans rock solid in their support for israel . Well examine that question next. And with the quicksilver card from capital one, you earn unlimited 1. 5 cash back on everything you purchase. Not just everything at the hardware store. Not everything, until you hit your ca