Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has departed for the Egyptian resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh for attending a conference of the Middle East mediating quartet and the international conference on Gaza reconstructions due on March 2.

He will have the first meeting with newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the forum sidelines. Lavrov and Clinton will continue their negotiations in Geneva on March 6.

The Gaza conference will involve UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and more than 40 foreign ministers.

“Moscow and the entire world are seriously concerned about the acute humanitarian situation, which has taken shape in Gaza through the Israeli armed operation against Hamas and the lengthy blockade of the strip,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. “Since the very beginning of the hostilities, Russia has been giving urgent assistance to Gaza residents. Humanitarian aid was supplied to Gaza by air on January 2 and 9. Russian physicians visited Gaza to assist local children. Lavrov will declare additional support to Palestinians at the Sharm-el-Sheikh conference.”