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UN chief Ban Ki-moon arrives in Gaza

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-20 19:30

The situation in the Gaza Strip is "heartbreaking," said visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday, two days after the end of the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Ban told a news conference at the UN headquarters in Gaza City that he was "deeply grieved" at the scenes he witnessed in Gaza following a three-week Israeli military offensive.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (C) speaks to journalists in Gaza City January 20, 2009, in front of the United Nations compound that was struck by Israeli fire during Israel's offensive. Voicing shock at stark scenes of destruction, Ban visited the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, and Israel was poised to withdraw its troops before the U.S. presidential inauguration later in the day. [Agencies]

Describing the situation in Gaza as "heartbreaking," Ban said that he was "appalled" also at the damage done to the world body's Gaza City headquarters.

Related readings:  Hamas seeks to restore order in Gaza  Gaza counts loss as ceasefire holds  Israel pulling out of Gaza; Hamas ceases fire  Egypt demands immediate cease-fire in Gaza

"I'm just appalled. I'm not able to describe how I am feeling at this sight," he said of the compound, which was struck by several Israeli army tanks shells late last week when Israeli ground forces entered deeply into Gaza City.

"I am deeply grieved at what I have seen today," Ban said, promising that he planned to dispatch a humanitarian assessment team to the Gaza Strip on Thursday.

"I have condemned on the outbreak of the conflict the excessive use of force by Israeli forces in Gaza," Ban said, while also viewing Palestinian militants' rocket attacks at southern Israel as "completely unacceptable."

In this photo released by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, right, shakes hands with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, during their meeting in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. Ban Ki-moon is visiting the Gaza Strip Tuesday to inspect the devastation wrought by Israel's three-week onslaught. [Agencies]

He, meanwhile, called for a "full investigation" into civilians deaths in the war. "The UN will do all we can."

The Palestinian unity "was needed to allow a recovery process and the opening of Gaza's border crossings," urged the UN chief.

Ban arrived in Gaza on Tuesday afternoon to check the destruction in the Gaza Strip following 22 days of Israeli military offensive on the enclave.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (R) arrives for a visit at the United Nations compound that was struck by Israeli fire during Israel's offensive, in Gaza City January 20, 2009. Voicing shock at stark scenes of destruction, Ban visited the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, and Israel was poised to withdraw its troops before the U.S. presidential inauguration later in the day. [Agencies]

His envoy crossed into the Gaza Strip through Erez border crossing between northern Gaza Strip and Israel, while his UN convoy passed by areas where seized by the Israeli army ground forces and caused severe destruction there.

While touring the main UN headquarters in Gaza City, Ban checked the stores of UNRWA that were struck and destroyed by the Israeli army tanks shells.

The UN secretary general will tour several places and neighborhoods were attacked by the Israeli army during the 22-day offensive.

Ban was not received by Hamas leaders or the Hamas authorities that rule the Gaza Strip. No meetings with Hamas officials were scheduled.

A spokesman for him described Ban's visit as a visit to express solidarity with the Palestinians' sufferings after a 22-day Israeli offensive.

Ban is the highest ranking international official to visit the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip since Israel and the Islamist Hamas group declared separate ceasefires on Sunday.