Hamas police on Saturday dispersed a protest in the Gaza town of Rafah by Salafist women to demand the release of members of the hardline Islamist movement, an AFP correspondent said. Witnesses said the women, who numbered around 30, were veiled and accompanied by children, carried a banner which read: "Where are human rights organisations when our children are arrested?" Police dispersed the demonstration without incident.

A law banning same sex schooling in the Gaza Strip has entered into force, education minister for Hamas, which rules the Palestinian territory, said on Monday. The law, which was issued on February 10, was approved by the Islamist movement's legislative council and went into effect on Sunday, Osama Mazini told a news conference. Article 46 of the law, seen by AFP, will "ban the mixing of students from the two sexes in educational establishments after the age of nine, and work to 'feminise' girls' schools."

Israel's army early Wednesday arrested five members of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, including a member of parliament, a prisoners' support group said. The five were arrested at dawn at their homes in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, the Ramallah-based Prisoners' Club told AFP. They included Hamas MP Mohammed Jamal al-Natshe, it said. An Israeli army spokeswoman said that "six people were arrested and taken for security questioning," but gave no further details.

Gaza's Hamas rulers on Tuesday launched a month-long campaign urging alleged Palestinian "collaborators" with Israel to turn themselves in return for leniency. "We announce the opening of the door to repentance for remaining collaborators and for all those who have fallen into the traps set by the enemy's intelligence services," interior ministry spokesman Islam Shahwan told reporters. "We urge them to return to the bosom of their people and their families," he said, noting that the offer of clemency was open until April 11.