Gaza, 17 June-(ANA)-Former US President Jimmy Carter has said he had to "hold back tears" while viewing destruction on a visit to Gaza.
He is due to meet leaders from Hamas, which controls Gaza but is considered a terrorist group by western countries.
The veteran politician is expected to hand over a letter for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit from his family.
He condemned "deliberate" destruction in Israel's January offensive, but also expressed sadness over Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli towns.
The former US president, who brokered the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace deal, has long advocated engagement with the militant Hamas movement as crucial for progress on peace.
Visiting Israel earlier this week, Mr Carter said a major policy speech given by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "raised many new obstacles to peace".
While Mr Netanyahu yielded to US pressure to back the creation of a Palestinian state, he set the conditions that it must be demilitarised and recognise Israel as a Jewish state. (ANA)
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