Tony Blair in Gaza ahead of rebuilding conference

Occupied Jerusalem: The office of former British prime minister Tony Blair says the Mideast envoy is in the Gaza Strip to discuss reconstruction efforts.

It is Blair's first visit to Gaza since he was appointed to present the Mideast peacemaking "quartet" of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations in 2007.

He is the latest in a number of high-ranking diplomats to visit Gaza since Israel ended its offensive against the territory's Hamas rulers in mid-January.

Blair spokesman Matthew Doyle said the envoy would meet with Gaza community representatives but not with members of Hamas, internationally shunned as a terrorist group.

Blair will attend a high-level Gaza reconstruction conference in Egypt on Monday.