GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU)'s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton entered the Gaza Strip on Thursday and will stay there for a few hours to inspect humanitarian situation under an Israeli blockade.
Ashton is the highest Western diplomat to visit Gaza since the Islamic Hamas movement took over the territory by force from security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas in June 2007.
However, she will not meet Hamas officials because the EU has agreed with the United States on boycotting Hamas.
Ashton started her tour by visiting a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya.
Northern Gaza Strip sustained various levels of destruction in Israel's three-week military operation that started in December 2008.
Ashton will also inspect an UNRWA food distributing center in Jabaliya refugee camp, meet UN officials there and have lunch with independent Palestinian academics, businessmen and civil society leaders.
Israel has been imposing a siege on Gaza since 2007 and calls for lifting the blockade are increasing.
