Gazans hope new Egypt regime will end blockade

A rare euphoric mood is sweeping through the Gaza Strip, where people are hoping the downfall of Hosni Mubarak will give the coastal territory a chance to get out from under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade that has stifled the economy.

Throughout the Middle East, the Egyptian president's ouster Feb. 11 has been greeted as a sign of hope mostly by pro-democracy activists trying to topple their authoritarian rulers. But in Gaza it's seen as a chance to ease the widespread unemployment and international isolation residents believe is caused by the blockade that began in 2007. "We have been waiting for this day for years," said Jamil Saher, a 22-year-old university student. (AP)