The question is whether the cease-fire in Lebanon that Biden announced Tuesday will be the coda to his diplomatic efforts in the Middle East or a steppingstone to agreements that could at last end the devastating war in the Gaza Strip and potentially even set the stage for a broader regional transformation.

Under the agreement, Israeli troops would retreat from southern Lebanon while Hezbollah would move its forces further away from the Israeli-Lebanon border.

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday his administration was pushing for an elusive ceasefire in Gaza and that it is possible that Saudi Arabia and Israel could normalize relations. The U.S. "will make another push,