German minister makes brief stop in Gaza Strip

Germany's development minister has made a brief visit to the Gaza Strip to inaugurate a sewage plant in the territory whose refurbishment was funded by Berlin. Dirk Niebel's ministry said he also laid the cornerstone Sunday for a school to be run by the UN Relief and Works Agency.

Germany doesn't deal with Hamas, which rules Gaza and which Israel, the US and European Union list as a terrorist organization. Niebel's ministry says he met later Sunday with an Israeli major-general responsible for coordinating activities in the Palestinian territories. (AP)