According to the source, Ashton will arrive in Gaza on Sunday morning, where she will visit two local factories that were badly damaged during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip one and half years ago.

She will also visit schools and summer camps run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Although, Ashton has no plans to meet or hold talks with Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip, Barhoum welcomed her visit to the enclave. He called on the EU to increase its pressure on Israel to open the commercial crossings on the borders between Israel and Gaza, and reconstruct buildings in the enclave.

On June 25, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called on his EU counterparts to visit the Gaza Strip. The EU FMs were scheduled to visit the enclave on July 20. However, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini announced that the visit to Gaza was postponed until early September.

Before she left for the Middle East, Ashton said that she will visit the Palestinian territories, mainly Gaza "to closely see that the Israeli promises to relax the blockade are implemented," adding "The EU is willing to help in opening crossing points to facilitate the trade movement to Gaza."

Upon the visit, Jamal al-Khodari, the independent lawmaker and the chief of the Popular Committee to Challenge the Israeli Siege, denied that Israel had relaxed the tight blockade. He accused Israel of misleading the world.
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