EU foreign policy chief in Gaza
(GAZA CITY) - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton was in Gaza City on Thursday for an hours-long visit to the Hamas-ruled Palestinian enclave.
Her first stop was a UN-run girls school in the Jabalya refugee camp.
The English baroness was also due to hold talks with UN officials during her brief visit to the coastal territory which is still struggling with the aftermath of the devastating 22-day military offensive Israel launched in December 2008 in response to Palestinian rocket attacks.
She has made it clear she would not meet any officials of the Islamist Hamas movement which has ruled Gaza since ousting forces loyal to western-backed Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas after a week of violent fighting in 2007.
Hamas remains on the EU and US lists of "terrorist" organisations.
Israel and Egypt impose a tight embargo on the Gaza Strip only allowing in basic and humanitarian supplies.
Ashton was on a five-day tour of the region ahead of Friday's meeting of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet in Moscow.
She has also visited Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel as well as the West Bank.
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