U.N. chief Ban says to visit Middle East next week

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday he would travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories next week and said it was vital to reach a cease-fire in Gaza before then.

"I don't believe we can wait until then to end the violence," Ban told a U.N. Security Council meeting on the crisis in Gaza, adding that he would also visit regional capitals on his trip.

(Reporting by Claudia Parsons)