The Supreme Sharia Court Council in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip has imposed travel restrictions on unmarried females, drawing sharp criticism from Palestinians and human-rights organizations.

In a circular issued on Sunday, the council ruled that “an unmarried female may be prevented from traveling if she did not obtain permission from her guardian,” who is often her father or in some cases her son.

“Her guardian may prevent her from traveling if there is absolute harm in her travel or if there is a lawsuit requiring a travel ban,” the council ruled.

A [young man] over the age of 18 may be prevented from traveling by one of his parents or his grandfather “if his travel could result in absolute harm,” it also said.

The ruling, which went into effect on Sunday, was issued by Sheikh Hassan al-Juju, chairman of the Supreme Sharia Court Council.

The Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights criticized the ruling and called on the council to withdraw it because it “violates the dignity of women.”

The circular discriminates between Palestinian citizens on the basis of gender, it said.

Read More: Jerusalem Post

Why Israel? 

Free Ebook

Why Israel answers the critical questions and presents the essential reasons why Israel matters to God, to Christians and to the world. 

Related Articles:

CUFI says ‘No State for Jew Hate’ in new campaign against UK recognising a Palestinian state

CUFI has launched a new campaign calling for the UK government to not recognise a Palestinian state. It comes after reports that the UK and France could jointly give recognition at the UN Summit...

UK’s troubling anti-Israel shift at UN empowers Hamas

The UK government is turning against Israel, and now their diplomats at the United Nations are using dangerous rhetoric and demonising Israel for doing the right thing.This week, the...

This is what ‘globalising the intifada’ looks like and why we must act

In 1938, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini stripped all Jews of their citizenship. Among them was a two year-old infant girl, who would have known very little at the time about the antisemitic storm...

Shavuot: What Christians should know about the ‘Feast of Weeks’

This year the Jewish people celebrate Shavuot between 1 June to 3 June 2025. Shavuot means “weeks” as it occurs seven weeks after the Feast of Passover so is often referred...

Stand with Israel and the Jewish People

When God called Israel to be His Chosen People through His eternal and unconditional covenant with Abraham, it was so that His glory, faithfulness, and righteousness would be revealed to...