From The New York Times:GAZA — Cursing God in public here — a fairly common event in this benighted and besieged strip of Palestinian land — can now lead to prison. So can kissing in public. A judge ruled last week that a bank could not collect its contracted interest on a 10-year-old loan because Islam forbids charging interest.
One year ago, gunmen from Hamas, an Islamist anti-Israel group, took over Gaza, shooting some of their more secular Fatah rivals in the knees and tossing one off a building. Israel and the West imposed a blockade, hoping to squeeze the new rulers from power. Yet today Hamas has spread its authority across all aspects of life, including the judiciary. It is fully in charge. Gazans have not, as Israel and the United States hoped, risen up against it.
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News On Gaza From Other Sources:
Bridging the Fatah-Hamas divide -- BBC News
Gaza 'genius' helps besieged city survive a year of Israel's blockade -- The Independent
As Hamas Power Grows, Life For Gazans Worsens -- Worldsblog MSNBC
Gaza 'hurt by Palestinian feud' -- BBC News
Gaza prisoners in bid to lift ban on family visits -- The Independent
Hamas says bomb-makers caused fatal blast in Gaza -- The Independent
Explosion in Gaza destroys home of a Hamas commander, killing 5 -- International Herald Tribune
Hamas: Explosion in Beit Lahiya preparation for ‘quality’ attack -- Ynet News
My Comment: Hamas is not only a religious and social movement, it also has a very effective military/police/enforcement part to it. For the forseeable future, Hamas is there to stay in Gaza.
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