Germany's Merkel hopes Russia, U.S. can reach ceasefire deal for Syria

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday the situation in the civil war in Syria was atrocious and urged the United States and Russia to press for a ceasefire agreement. "I can only hope that Russia and the United States make progress on a ceasefire agreement, that the bombing of doctors and hospitals can be stopped, and the people in Aleppo are suffering so terribly. That is an indefensible situation," she said. (Corrects headline to make clear ceasefire deal for Syria, not Russia) (Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Madeline Chambers, Writing by Andrea Shalal)