国际英语新闻：Gazans seek EU role to end blockade upon Ashton's visit

GAZA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- On the eve of the visit of European Union's (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to the Hamas- ruled Gaza Strip, the Palestinians on Saturday said they seek a more effective EU role to completely lift the more than three years of tight Israeli blockade imposed on the enclave.

Gaza-based Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told Xinhua that Ashton's visit to Gaza on Sunday "will be an opportunity for her to closely see the difficult and tragic humanitarian situation of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."

"We want this visit to completely end the Israeli siege," he added.

Ashton announced in the weekend that she plans to visit the Gaza Strip to closely see the Israeli decision of easing the tight blockade, which has been imposed on the costal enclave right after the Islamic movement seized control of it by force in the summer of 2007.

Israel's decision to relax the blockade and allow around 50 percent of the banned goods and items into the enclave was made following an increasing international pressure on the Jewish state after its naval forces attacked on May 31 the Gaza aid flotilla, where nine activists were killed.

Official Palestinian source told Xinhua that Ashton is to hold talks on Saturday in the West Bank city of Ramallah with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The talks are to focus on the future of the peace process.