UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon announced on Tuesday that he is to attend a March conference in Cairo on peace in the Middle East.

Ban told a press conference here that "I am going to take part in the Cairo Conference on March 2, cosponsored by the governments of Egypt and Norway with the United Nations and the European Union, " he said.

The United Nations and the European Union, together with Russia and the United States, make up a diplomatic group, known as the Quartet, in search of peace in the Middle East.

The secretary-general made the announcement at the press conference when he was briefing reporters here on his just- concluded visit to Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Iraq, India, Pakistan, where he met with leaders on major issues concerning peace and development in the region and the world at large.

Ban on Thursday launched a humanitarian appeal worth 613 million U.S. dollars to respond to emergency humanitarian needs in Gaza in the aftermath of the Israeli military offensive in the region.

At least 1,300 Palestinians died and more than 5,000 were injured during the 22-day Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip, according to UN figures.

Around 21,000 homes were destroyed or badly damaged. Thirteen Israelis were killed, 10 of them soldiers, during the conflict, reports said.

A cease-fire between Israeli forces and Hamas militants has been in place since Jan. 21.

"It is critical that we consolidate the cease-fire, promote Palestinian unity and revive the peace process," Ban said.

Meanwhile, he also highlighted the importance of reviving the two-state peace process envisaging Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.

"I welcome the speed with which the new U.S. president has engaged on this issue, particularly with the appointment of George Mitchell as Special Envoy to the Middle East," he said.

"As secretary-general of the United Nations, I will devote every effort to helping push the peace process," he added.

On Gaza, which he visited last month, he noted that all but one border crossing remains closed more than three weeks after Israel ended the devastating military offensive it launched with the stated aim of ending Hamas rocket attacks against it.

"I saw, with my own eyes, how difficult life has become for ordinary people. The difficulties have not diminished since my visit," he said.

"Nearly one million refugees depend on daily UN aid," he said. "Yet we are getting in supplies for only 30,000. Meanwhile, Hamas militants on two occasions seized UN aid. The material has since been returned but I have demanded that it not happen again. Who pays the price? It is ordinary people -- people without homes, without food or medicine."

He announced that he had initiated steps to establish a UN Board of Inquiry into incidents involved death and damage at UN premises in Gaza during Israel's offensive, to be headed by Ian Martin of the United Kingdom and to report back to him within a month.

(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2009)