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Blair makes first visit to Gaza Blair makes first visit to Gaza
(10 minutes later)
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair, now Middle East envoy, has arrived in Gaza for his first visit.Former UK prime minister Tony Blair, now Middle East envoy, has arrived in Gaza for his first visit.
He is visiting a school in Izbet Beit Hanoun, in the north of the territory, which is run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. At a UN school near the crossing with Israel, he is to meet business leaders and the UN director of operations in Gaza, John Ging.
Mr Blair is also due to meet business leaders and the United Nations director of operations in Gaza, John Ging. The BBC's Jeremy Bowen said they would discuss how to repair parts of the territory damaged in the recent war.
He was appointed Middle East representative of the European Union, Russia, the UN and the US in June 2007. Mr Blair was appointed Middle East representative of the European Union, Russia, the UN and the US in June 2007.
The school he is visiting is in Izbet Beit Hanoun, in the north of the territory, and is run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which works with Palestinian refugees.
"Tony Blair has arrived in Gaza and should be at an UNRWA school shortly," a consulate spokeswoman told news agency AFP."Tony Blair has arrived in Gaza and should be at an UNRWA school shortly," a consulate spokeswoman told news agency AFP.
His visit comes a day before an international conference in Egypt on the reconstruction of Gaza following the Israeli operations there in December and January.His visit comes a day before an international conference in Egypt on the reconstruction of Gaza following the Israeli operations there in December and January.
The so-called "Middle East Quartet" that Mr Blair represents is due to meet on the sidelines of the conference in the Sharm el-Sheikh resort. The Middle East Quartet that Mr Blair represents is due to meet on the sidelines of the conference in the Sharm el-Sheikh resort.
He is not due to meet representatives from Palestinian group Hamas, although the visit was co-ordinated with them.