America's leading diplomat said the US will now seek a United Nations resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Lebanon crisis.
"As I head back to Washington, I take with me an emerging consensus on what is necessary for both an urgent ceasefire and a lasting settlement," she told reporters just before winding up her Middle East peace drive.
"I am convinced we can achieve both this week," said Ms Rice, who laid out broad principles of a proposed deal, but did not discuss exact measures that would be adopted to put it in place.
Captured soldiers
She also did not address the issue of the return of Israeli soldiers whose capture by Hezbollah guerrillas on July 12 sparked Israel's offensive, or of those prisoners the militia wants released from Israeli jails.
Ms Rice also welcomed Israel's adoption of a 48-hour suspension of air strikes after the raid on the village of Qana that killed more than 50 people, more than half of them children.
At the same time, Israel said the suspension of air strikes does not mean the end of the war.
"The suspension of our aerial activities does not signify in any way the end to the war," Justice Minister Haim Ramon, who is considered close to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and is a member of the nation's security cabinet.
"On the contrary, this decision will allow us to win this war and lessen international pressure," he said.
The Lebanese Government announced a national day of mourning for the 52
victims. All banks and public offices were to be closed and flags to fly at half mast.
Israel - which has expressed its "deep regret" for the incident" - says it will open a 24-hour window allowing safe passage for civilians out of southern Lebanon.
The strike, which Israel says was in response to Hezbollah rocket attacks, triggered global outrage and warnings of retribution for alleged "war crimes".
UN reaction
The UN Security Council said it it "strongly deplores" the deaths and has called for an end to the violence.
Ms Rice said the United States would ask the UN Security Council to act on an "urgent and comprehensive basis" this week, to forge a lasting peace.
The three-part plan would include a ceasefire, the political principles that provide for a long-term settlement and the authorisation of an international force to help the Lebanese army keep the peace.
Ms Rice said that in talks with Israeli and Lebanese officials in her double-pronged peace mission over the past eight days, she had found consensus on key issues.
Among them was the need for Lebanon to be able to expand its authority over the whole of the country - a goal that would require the deployment of the international force, she said.
Arms embargo
Rice also said she found broad agreement that there should be an arms embargo enforced against weapons delivery to anyone other than the Lebanese forces or the international force.
"No foreign forces will be allowed unless specifically authorised by the government of Lebanon and Lebanon should, assisted as appropriate by the international community, disarm armed groups," she said.
Under the proposed agreement Lebanon would agree to respect the UN-demarcated Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel, and the Lebanese armed forces should deploy to the border.
"These are important, yet temporary measures. An urgent and more permanent end to this violence is something that we all want, and that we must work together to achieve," Rice said.
"To make a cease fire more than words alone, the international community must be prepared to support and sustain it."
Blair statement
Earlier in the day, British Prime Miniser Tony Blair urged the international community to reach an agreement to put an end to violence in the Middle East.
He's also appealed for calm while a UN Security Council resolution is negotiated on the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
His statement comes after a day of energetic diplomacy, during which he spoke with world leaders like President George W Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora.