Hamas cancels public holiday on international women’s day

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Updated 05 March 2017
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Hamas cancels public holiday on international women’s day

GAZA: Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip have canceled plans to give students a day off on Wednesday for international women’s day.
The internationally backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has declared women’s day a public holiday.
But Hamas, which has controlled Gaza for the past decade, said Sunday it would not obey the order. It says Wednesday will be a normal work day and schools will be open, though the first hour of classes will include discussions about women’s role in the Palestinian national struggle.
Hamas gave no reason for its decision.
Under the group’s rule, Gazan society has grown increasingly conservative, with Hamas imposing a dress code on female lawyers, principals harassing students who don’t wear headscarves and occasionally banning women from smoking in cafes.


Israeli forces demolish Palestinian facilities in Jericho

Updated 22 January 2026
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Israeli forces demolish Palestinian facilities in Jericho

  • Israeli authorities have conducted 538 demolitions in the past 12 months, totaling 1,400 structures
  • Excluding East Jerusalem, there are about 3 million Palestinians and 500,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank

LONDON: Israeli authorities demolished a house on Thursday in the town of Deir Al-Dik, located west of Jericho in the West Bank, and issued a demolition order for another structure east of the city.

Israeli bulldozers stormed Deir Al-Dik and demolished a house belonging to a resident of Jerusalem, claiming it was built without a permit, according to the Wafa news agency.

Forces also demolished a barracks in the city that belonged to the Abu Jarar factory and issued a demolition order for another structure related to the Sinqrat palm grove, east of Jericho.

The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported that the Israeli authorities conducted 538 demolitions in the past 12 months, totaling 1,400 structures. This included 304 occupied homes, 74 unoccupied homes, 270 economic facilities and 490 agricultural facilities, primarily in Hebron, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tubas and Nablus.

Excluding East Jerusalem, which was occupied and annexed by Israel in 1967, there are about 3 million Palestinians and 500,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank.