NEW UN MIDDLE EAST PEACE ENVOY ARRIVES IN GAZA

Gaza, 11 Rajab 1436/30 April 2015 (MINA) – Nikolay Mladenov, the UN’s recently-appointed envoy for the Middle East peace process, arrived in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in his first visit to the blockaded coastal enclave since his appointment two months ago.

Maher Abu Sabha, head of the Gaza Strip’s border authority, told The Anadolu Agency that Mladenov and his 11-member delegation had entered the strip on Wednesday morning via the Israeli-controlled Erez border crossing.

Mladenov, a Bulgarian diplomat, was appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in February, Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

He replaced Robert Serry, a Dutch diplomat who as UN Middle East envoy sponsored a controversial reconstruction plan for Gaza following a devastating Israeli military offensive last summer.

In July and August of last year, more than 2,160 Gazans, mostly civilians, were killed and another 11,000 injured during seven weeks of ferocious Israeli bombardment.

During the 51-day offensive, 15,671 housing units across the Gaza Strip were damaged, including 2,276 that were completely destroyed, according to official Palestinian figures.

The offensive finally ended on August 26 with the announcement of an indefinite cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian resistance factions.

Following the cease-fire, Serry unveiled a plan to rebuild the devastated Gaza Strip, which called for strict oversight on the use of construction material. (T/P002/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)