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Blair: Gaza must be peace focus Blair: Middle East peace possible
(about 2 hours later)
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has said the people of Gaza should be the focus "of all efforts" to bring peace to the Middle East. Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has said that bringing peace to the Middle East is a "huge challenge," but it is "perfectly possible" to achieve it.
Mr Blair promised to relay appeals for assistance to a meeting of world leaders on Monday. He said a two-state solution to the conflict must be found, as the only alternative - "a one-state solution" - would lead to "a big fight".
He is on his first visit to Gaza since becoming Middle East peace envoy. Mr Blair is on his first visit to Gaza since becoming Middle East peace envoy.
The UK's International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, who is also in Gaza, has pledged £30m to help rebuild homes, schools and hospitals. The UK's international development secretary, who is also in Gaza, has pledged £30m to aid reconstruction.
The Department for International Development said £20m of the money was new, while £10m of UK support had been pledged in January. Douglas Alexander said the money - £10m of which had been pledged in January - was to be spent on rebuilding schools, hospitals and homes damaged in the three-week Israeli offensive against militants in Gaza.
His visit comes a day before a conference on the reconstruction of Gaza following Israel's invasion. Around 1,300 Palestinians, of whom 412 were children, were killed during the fighting and 21,000 homes were destroyed or badly damaged.
Speaking at a UN-run school in in the northern town of Izbet Beit Hanoun, near the border with Israel, Mr Blair said: "I wanted to come to hear for myself first-hand from people in Gaza, whose lives have been so badly impacted by the recent conflict. Reconstruction
Mr Blair's visit comes a day before a conference on the reconstruction of Gaza following Israel's invasion.
He said everyone he had met in the territory wanted to live in peace with Israel and the international community must do everything it could to establish a Palestinian state.
He told the BBC: "It is a huge challenge, but what's the alternative?
"The alternative to a two-state solution is a one-state solution and then there's going to be a big fight. Israel must do the right thing and allow much-needed goods to get through Douglas AlexanderInternational Development Secretary
"The whole of the world has got an interest in making sure that does not happen and that we have a two-state solution, because it's perfectly possible to have one."
Mr Blair said no-one could visit Gaza and not be "appalled" at the destruction that had taken place.
Speaking at a UN-run school in in the northern town of Izbet Beit Hanoun, near the border with Israel, he said: "I wanted to come to hear for myself first-hand from people in Gaza, whose lives have been so badly impacted by the recent conflict.
"These are the people who need to be the focus of all our efforts for peace and progress from now on.""These are the people who need to be the focus of all our efforts for peace and progress from now on."
Homes destroyed He promised to relay their appeals for assistance to the conference on Gaza on Monday in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh.
He said he would relay "their account of events, their assessment of what is needed for reconstruction, their goals for rebuilding a vibrant sector" to an international conference on Gaza reconstruction on Monday in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh. Great obstacles
During his visit Mr Blair, who is the Middle East representative of the European Union, Russia, the UN and the US, is due to meet Gaza business leaders and the UN director of operations in Gaza, John Ging. Mr Blair, who is the Middle East representative of the European Union, Russia, the UN and the US, is not scheduled to meet members of the governing party Hamas, although the visit has been co-ordinated with them.Around 21,000 homes were destroyed or damaged during the recent conflict.
The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said they would discuss how to repair parts of the territory damaged in the recent war in December and January. He stopped short of saying that any future strategy for peace would involve negotiations with Hamas, but said "the way is open for Hamas if they want to take it".
Around 1,300 Palestinians, of whom 412 were children, were killed during the Israeli offensive and 21,000 homes were destroyed or badly damaged. The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said there were great obstacles to any political progress, not least that Palestinians themselves are divided over the way ahead.
Mr Blair is not due to meet members of the governing party Hamas, although the visit has been co-ordinated with them. Israel's president-designate Benyamin Netanyahu, has also not endorsed the creation of a Palestinian state, he added.
The Department for International Development said the UK's contribution would also help restore water, sewage and electricity supplies to Gaza's population - 90% of whom require food aid.
But Mr Alexander said there was also "a desperate need" for Israel to relax its restrictions on the delivery of supplies to the territory.
"The continuing suffering in the area is very clear and we must provide more than just basic humanitarian support if we are to help rebuild people's lives," he said.
"Gaza needs money, fuel and construction materials and whilst these goods are turned away at the borders, repairs to homes, water systems and the electricity network will remain impossible.
"Israel must do the right thing and allow much-needed goods to get through to those men, women and children who continue to suffer."