Blinken left the U.S. Monday for a weeklong trip to Israel and several Arab countries. This is Blinken’s 11th trip to the region since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza, which erupted last year after the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which seized power over Gaza in 2007, launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The secretary’s trip had been expected after President Joe Biden said last week he would send Blinken to the region following the death of Hamas top leader Yahya Sinwar.