The chance for an end to more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the release of about 100 hostages held by the militants is now “more likely” because of last week’s ceasefire reached by Israel with Hezbollah in Lebanon, a top U.S. national security official said Sunday.

Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas predicted Saturday that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza is unlikely before President Biden departs the White House early next year.

President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a deal brokered by the U.S. "to end the devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah."

The bursts of violence — with no reports of serious casualties — reflected the uneasy nature of the ceasefire that otherwise appeared to hold as Lebanese troops began to deploy in parts of southern Lebanon.

After nearly two months of hostilities between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the two sides have agreed a 60-day ceasefire, allowing many of the civilians who have been forced to flee