Huda Abed Al Rahman has not seen her brother in five years.
She lives in Gaza with her elderly father, who is unwell. After a long wait, she recently made plans to visit her sibling in the UAE, where he lives.
But Ms Al Rahman, 27, is one of many whose freedom will be curtailed under a Hamas edict barring women from leaving the enclave without the permission of a male relative.
The edict, issued by the Hamas-led Sharia Judicial Council, said an unmarried woman may not leave Gaza without the permission of a “guardian”. Such consent would have to be registered in court.