Palestinian Womens’ Rights activists are condemning a new rule mandating separate classrooms for boys and girls from the fourth grade in Gaza.

Gaza’s Hamas-controlled parliament passed the new rule, and it covers public and private schools.  It’s the strictest law passed so far by the Gaza parliament, as Hamas seeks to impose its extremely conservative brand on Islam on all Palestinians.  It also bars men from teaching to girls.

Palestinian women's activist Zeinab al-Ghnaimi said Tuesday that Hamas is "imposing facts on the ground," and she fears the trend toward gender separation will accelerate.

Hamas hs ruled Gaza since landslide election victories in 2007 over its West Bank-based rival fatah.