Tel Aviv - Providing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip needs to be done in a way that does not boost the Islamist Hamas movement which administers the salient, outgoing Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Thursday.

Speaking as she was about to meet newly-appointed US envoy George Mitchell, she said her parley with the former senator would focus on an upcoming conference on aid for the Gaza Strip, which begins in Egypt on Monday.

"Israel believes it is important to help their material needs. This must be done in a way that doesn't strengthen Hamas," she said.

Mitchell, appointed shortly after President Barack Obama was sworn into office in January is making his second trip to the region and in addition to talks with Livni, is slated to meet outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and prime-minister designate Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently attempting to form a government.

On Friday he is scheduled to visit Ramallah for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials. (dpa)