Quartet envoy Tony Blair (C) visits northern Gaza Strip, on March 1, 2009. As the Quartet's envoy, Tony Blair arrived in the Gaza Strip on Sunday to inspect damage by Israeli army and discuss reconstruction process. [Xinhua]

Quartet envoy Tony Blair arrived in the Gaza Strip on Sunday to inspect damage by Israeli army and discuss reconstruction process.

Blair's first visit as the Quartet's envoy to the Hamas-controlled territory will last for few hours. Blair, who travels in Gaza with UN armored vehicle, has no plans to meet any member of Hamas administration.

Hamas' security jeeps drive behind Blair's convoy but they don't enter with him any UN premises.

Blair started his tour with a visit to Abed Rabbo neighborhood in eastern Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip.

"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," Blair said.

During the Israeli aerial offensive in December and the ground invasion in January, Israel demolished tens of houses in that neighborhood.

Blair said he will pass the people's accounts about the events and their views of reconstruction to an international donor conference that will be held in Egypt Monday.

Blair also visited a school of the UN Relief and Works Agency in Beit Hanoun that came under Israeli fire during Operation Cast Lead.

During the offensive, Israel killed more than 1,300 Palestinians and demolished at least 14,000 houses partially and completely.

Last year, Blair called off a visit to the territory due to security concerns.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2009)