Palestinians protest against Hamas amid growing war frustration
Gaza: Hundreds of Palestinians staged protests in northern Gaza, marking one of the largest demonstrations against Hamas since the conflict with Israel began. The protests, which erupted in Beit Lahia, called for an end to the war and demanded that Hamas relinquish power.
Videos circulating on social media showed protesters chanting slogans such as "Out, out, out, Hamas out" and "Hamas terrorists" while holding signs that read "Stop the war" and "We want to live in peace." Similar demonstrations were reported in the Jabalia refugee camp, where protesters burned tyres and chanted, "We want to eat," reflecting the deepening humanitarian crisis.
According to witnesses, Hamas militants, some armed and others wielding batons, forcibly dispersed the crowds, with several protesters being assaulted. Hamas security forces in civilian clothing allegedly infiltrated the gatherings to break them up.
The protests were largely mobilised through Telegram, though no specific group or leader has claimed responsibility for organising them.
A protester identified as Mohammed told AFP that he joined the demonstration to "send a message on behalf of the people: Enough with the war." Another protester, Majdi, said, "People are tired" and questioned why Hamas does not step down if it would help protect civilians.
Meanwhile, Hamas' political rival, Fatah, has called for Hamas to step aside. Monther al-Hayek, a Fatah spokesperson in Gaza, urged Hamas to relinquish control to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people.
غزة تنتفض ضد حماس.. مشاهد جديدة لتظاهرات حاشدة في بيت لاهيا للمطالبة بإيقاف الحرب وإنهاء حكم الحركة وخروجها في القطاع#العربية #غزة pic.twitter.com/1vfy8h9FlC
— العربية (@AlArabiya) March 25, 2025
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
