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A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 16 March 2019
Israel-Gaza fighting ebbs, Gaza rockets reportedly a misfire

By JOSEF FEDERMAN deal, said Egypt led medi-
FARES AKRAM tation efforts "that have ap-
Associated Press parently paid off."
JERUSALEM (AP) — Cross- The sudden outbreak of vi-
border fighting between olence came at a sensitive
Israel and Gaza's ruling time for both sides.
Hamas group appeared Israeli Prime Minister Ben-
to be winding down Friday, jamin Netanyahu is in the
amid reports of an Egyp- midst of a tight re-election
tian-brokered truce and Is- battle. A tough response
raeli media saying a misfire would draw international
was believed to be respon- criticism and domestic ac-
sible for the rare Gaza rock- cusations that he is acting
et attack on Tel Aviv that out of political motivations
triggered the exchange. ahead of the April 9 vote.
The two rockets had struck But a restrained response
late Thursday, taking Israel's will draw criticism from his
military by surprise. Over- fellow hard-line rivals.
night, Israeli warplanes hit A Palestinian inspects the damage of destroyed building belongs to Hamas ministry of prisoners Hamas, meanwhile, is cop-
some 100 Hamas targets hit by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, early Friday, March 15, 2019. ing with its own domestic
in Gaza. The army said Associated Press troubles. Israel and Egypt
targets included an office have maintained a crip-
complex in Gaza City used reported that four people quoted defense officials fired during maintenance pling blockade on Gaza
to plan and command were wounded, includ- as saying a preliminary in- work. The Israeli military had since Hamas took over the
Hamas militant activities, ing a husband and wife in vestigation indicated the no immediate comment. territory in 2007. The block-
an underground complex the southern town of Ra- rockets were fired from Also Friday, a Hamas of- ade, along with sanctions
that served as Hamas' fah. There were no further Gaza by mistake. It was not ficial said an agreement by the rival Palestinian Au-
main rocket-manufactur- details. The office building immediately clear if it was to restore calm has been thority and Hamas' own
ing site and a center used struck by Israel had been a technical malfunction or reached. The official, mismanagement have fu-
for Hamas drone develop- used by Hamas' office of human error. The Haaretz speaking on condition of eled an economic crisis
ment. prisoner affairs. daily quoted the officials anonymity because Hamas that has driven unemploy-
In Gaza, health officials On Friday, Israeli media as saying the rockets were has yet to announce the ment over 50 percent.q

Crowds throng Algerian cities to demand president step down

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — The protesters want to send
With Algerian flags on their a mass message that they
backs, people of all ages are rejecting Bouteflika's
marched Friday through attempt this week to de-
Algeria's capital and other fuse Algeria's political crisis.
cities amid heavy security Bouteflika ceded to pro-
for what could be decisive testers' demands that he
protests against longtime abandon plans for a fifth
leader Abdelaziz Boutef- term, and promised reforms
lika. addressing concerns of frus-
The crowds packing leafy trated, struggling youth. But
boulevards throughout he also canceled the April
central Algiers appeared 18 presidential election, a
bigger than a week ago, move that critics fear could
when hundreds of thou- allow him to cling to power.
sands took to the streets to Police surrounding the Al-
demand an end to Boutef- giers' central post office ap-
lika's 20-year rule. peared largely unarmed,
Chanting "Bouteflika, Get and their plastic riot shields
Out" and other slogans, rested on the ground or in
diverse groups converged vans nearby. That could
on three public plazas that Algeria's new prime minister Noureddine Bedoui gives a press conference, in Algiers, Algeria, be a message from Alge-
have become focal points Thursday, March 14, 2019. rian authorities — known for
for an exceptional, month- Associated Press their heavy-handed securi-
long public uprising against ty posture — that they want
the country's shadowy make ends meet despite biggest country. Students, with smiling police officers. to avoid unrest or provok-
leadership. Their numbers the country's gas wealth. teachers, judges and Shops along the march ing public anger.
surged after midday Mus- The warm spring sun unions were among those routes turned a brisk profit Among protesters' chants
lim prayers. seemed to encourage the joining Friday's protests. selling Algerian flags and were "gang of thieves"
Algerians have barely seen protesters, who were so nu- Riot police vans lined side pizza or honey-filled pas- and "you ruined Algeria,
Bouteflika in public since he merous that it was difficult streets of Algiers and sur- tries. The diverse crowd in- we don't want you." Others
suffered a 2013 stroke, and to move on some streets in veillance helicopters cir- cluded women with and chanted "peaceful dem-
many are angry at a pow- Algiers. Algerian media re- cled overhead. without headscarves, and onstration" in an effort to
er structure widely seen as ported protests in several A group of young women fathers carrying children on ensure that things don't get
corrupt. Millions struggle to other cities around Africa's delighted in taking selfies their shoulders. out of hand.q