Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 1 april 2019

Israel, Hamas take first steps toward Gaza cease-fire deal

ISABEL DEBRE the Gaza fishermen’s com- set off air-raid sirens in the
Associated Press mittee said Israel would country’s south. There was
JERUSALEM (AP) — A be extending the permit- no immediate claim of re-
cease-fire deal appeared ted fishing zone along the sponsibility, and no imme-
to take hold between Israel Mediterranean coast to diate Israeli response. Ear-
and Gaza’s Hamas rulers a maximum of 15 nauti- lier Sunday, Palestinian mili-
on Sunday, with Israel ex- cal miles (28 kilometers), tants launched rockets into
panding the permitted fish- up from the previous limit Israel during the night, and
ing zone and easing some of nine nautical miles (17 the military responded with
tight restrictions on move- kilometers). Fishing had tank fire. Four Palestinians,
ment through its two main been off-limits since Gaza including three teenagers,
crossings with the Palestin- militants launched a rocket were killed by Israeli fire on
ian enclave. toward Tel Aviv last week, Saturday as tens of thou-
Egyptian mediators have touching off rounds of short sands of people took part
worked in recent days to but intense cross-border in mass rallies that marked
broker a cease-fire agree- fighting between the bitter Israeli soldiers take positions on the Israel and Gaza border the first anniversary of dem-
ment, but talks have been enemies. during a Palestinian protest, Saturday, March 30, 2019. onstrations along the Israel-
repeatedly interrupted by Israeli officials confirmed Associated Press Gaza perimeter fence.
Palestinian rocket attacks that the reopening of the cease-fire, which Hamas The first steps toward the Dozens of activists ap-
and Israeli military reprisals. fishing zone would go into officials say would see Is- restoration of calm were proached the fence during
The violence has height- effect Monday. rael easing its blockade in nonetheless punctuated Saturday’s demonstration,
ened tensions just over a The lifting of some restric- exchange for guarantees by exchanges of fire along hurling stones and explo-
week before Israeli nation- tions on the passage of of quiet. the border. Just hours after sives toward Israeli forces.
al elections. people and cargo in and Israeli and Hamas officials Israel announced the re- Israel says it is defending
In a sign that Egyptian ef- out of Gaza further indicat- confirmed that the Erez opening of its main Gaza its border but has come
forts have made progress, ed a strengthening of the and Kerem Shalom border crossings Sunday, a mortar under heavy international
crossings were re-opened, shell was launched from criticism for the large num-
in a very restricted fashion, the Gaza Strip toward Isra- ber of unarmed Palestinian
for the first time since vio- el, the army said. demonstrators who have
lence flared up last Mon- The projectile did not cross been shot over the past 12
day. into Israeli territory but did months.q

One of Russia’s richest women dies in

plane crash in Germany

By DAVID McHUGH
Asociated Press
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP)
— One of Russia’s richest
women, S7 Group co-
owner Natalia Fileva, died
Sunday in a plane crash
in Germany, the airline
operator said.
Fileva, 55, was aboard a
single-engine, six-seat Epic
LT aircraft that crashed
and burned in a field as
it approached the small
airport at Egelsbach, a A damaged police car is seen next to a road in Langen near
town in southwestern Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, March 31, 2019.
Germany, at about 3:30 Associated Press
p.m. (1330 GMT), the airline flight, which originated in require further investigation.
said in an email. France. They said the two German aviation authorities
German police said there passengers were believed were probing the cause
appeared to be three to be Russian citizens but of the crash. Egelsbach
people aboard the plane, that positive identification is about 10 kilometers (six
including the pilot of the of the occupants would miles) south of Frankfurt. q