The Palestinian militant group Hamas Thursday banned men from working in hair salons or beauty parlors that cater to women, part of a campaign to enforce a stricter interpretation of Muslim law.
Hamas officials said any man who continues to cut women's hair will be arrested and tried in court.
Islamic extremists in Gaza have been waging a campaign against cafes and shops that sell or play music deemed unsuitable, as well as against Christian institutions. They have called on Hamas to impose a more fundamentalist brand of Islam.
One hairdresser who is impacted by the ban - Barakat al-Ghoul - told the Associated Press he fears he will no longer be able to make a living.
Al-Ghoul said he had been cutting women's hair for 26 years. He insisted he did not violate Islamic law because he only cuts hair and does not do makeup.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
