Hamas targets lingerie shops in modesty drive

Mannequins outside shops in Gaza City on Wednesday. (Reuters)

By REUTERS

GAZA: Hamas in the Gaza Strip has ordered lingerie shops to display more modesty.

A week after banning women from smoking water pipes in public places, the Hamas-run police force has told stores selling women’s underwear to remove scantily-clad mannequins and any posters of racy undergarments. “These measures have stemmed from complaints and pressure by ordinary people. They have to do with upholding our traditions,” police spokesman Ayman Al-Batniji said on Wednesday.

Hamas leaders have repeatedly denied any intention to impose Islamic law on the Gaza Strip, home to 1.5 million Palestinians.

But Hamas police have broken up a hip-hop concert in the territory and tried — unsuccessfully — to force women lawyers in court and female school students to wear traditional Muslim clothing, a step that drew a public backlash.

Hamas' modesty moves were widely seen by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as attempts to mollify more conservative Islamic factions that have accused the movement of failing to uphold Islamic Sharia law.

Comments

ISRARUL HAQUE

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If Hamas has no intention to impose Islamic law on the Gaza strip home of 1.5 million Palestinians Muslims, why are they making a fuss over lingeris shops to display things modestly. No other laws have any modesty plans in their agenda. It is this duality of intention that makes all their plans and actions unsuccesful and their integerity doubtful.May Allah guide them to follow the true Islamic spirit in all their endevours.

ALAWI FRANCIS

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If men did not find sexual attractiveness in women, most men would never get married.
But immature, narrow minded people go overboard over the sight of women's underwear, who cannot keep their sexual drive on a leash. Smoking water pipes, listening to music, young people talking and laughing in public etc is all harram, but bomb-belts are wonderful to wear, and available on request?
No shop keepers are dragging passers-by into their stores. Some kind of puritainism of old England is what they want? eh!

HUMAN

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ALAWI FRANCIS....you just live under the condition in which palestinians are living ...than you would love to wear those bomb belts .
how do you feel when your females wear nothing on the road . dont you feel shy ...how do you feel when you are out with your mother and childrens and some one naked standing infront of you ....will you say that no one is dragging passers by ?
it looks awkward and very embarrass when you see such kind of things when you are with your elders and childrens .
why do you think UK banned mini skirts in all offices ?
get educated and get some life dude
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