Officials said Hamas police have begun a crackdown on nightlife along
the beaches of the Gaza Strip. They said the ban on entertainment and public
bathing would continue through high school matriculation examinations on
June 12.
The beach marks one of the few avenues of outdoor recreation in the
Islamic-controlled Gaza Strip. In 2010, Hamas police imposed segregation of
the sexes at public beaches.
"We have prepared an action plan for this period so that students are
not distracted from their studies," Hamas police spokesman Maj. Ayman
Batniji said.
Officials said the new measures, implemented on May 17, included a
partial curfew in major cities in the Gaza Strip. They said concerts
and outdoor events would be shut down by 11 p.m. on weeknights.
Hamas has also banned motorcycles from the road along the Gaza coast
over the weekend. Officials said the ban was meant to prevent accidents
along the crowded Gaza beaches during the summer months.
"This is meant to maintain the security and integrity of citizens," a
Hamas police statement said.