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Hamas Official: 'Islamization' A Western Media Smear

Hamas government official Ihab al-Ghussein denies in an interview that his movement is imposing Islamic law on the Gaza Strip.
Hamas security men stand guard on the border between Gaza city and Israel to prevent any Palestinian collaborators from escaping to Israel on April 10, 2013. Hamas accused Western and Arab spy agencies of operating in the Gaza Strip and said it had a list of alleged collaborators. AFP PHOTO/MAHMUD HAMS        (Photo credit should read MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)

In recent months the Hamas-led government in Gaza has seen heavy criticism for imposing practices and policies of "Islamization." Human rights organizations have reported that young men have been forcefully detained and had their heads shaved or their low-rise skinny jeans cut off on the basis of their appearance being too "Western." Other reports abound of men and women being stopped in the streets and asked to present papers documenting that they are in a formal relationship.

According to human rights activist Mustafa Ibrahim, who spoke to Al-Monitor in Gaza, people are currently feeling more watched and limited in their personal freedom. This observation was echoed by Heba Zayyan from UN Women, who said that the main issue was the lack of clarity regarding Hamas' policies.

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