Influential Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi on Wednesday started his first visit to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, crossing into the Palestinian territory at Rafah, on the border with Egypt.

An AFP photographer said Egyptian-born Qaradawi, who is a citizen of Qatar and close to the Muslim Brotherhood, arrived in the territory shortly after 9:30 pm (1830 GMT).

He has said the aim of the three-day trip to Gaza is to "support its people and participate in lifting the (Israeli) blockade against them."