US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank from Sunday through Thursday next week, according to a statement released Friday by the State Department, Ednews informs via VOA.

The tour will mark Blinken's fifth trip to the region since the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel and is a part of his ongoing effort to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and work toward a humanitarian pause that would allow more aid to reach civilians in Gaza.

A large part of the diplomatic mission will be to push a proposal that calls for pauses in fighting in exchange for the release of hostages. On Friday, a senior Hamas official said that they will respond "very soon" to a proposal negotiated by Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators in Paris earlier this week and approved by Israel.

Blinken will work to "establish a more integrated, peaceful region that includes lasting security for Israelis and Palestinians alike," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Blinken's trip will also address the ongoing Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Miller said that Blinken will aim to prevent conflict from spreading "while reaffirming that the United States will take appropriate steps to defend its personnel and the right to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea."