For the second year running, the Christian community in Gaza is unable to celebrate Christmas amidst the continuing war that has devastated the region since October 7, 2023. Homes, churches, and businesses that would traditionally be filled with Christmas decorations and festive preparations are now silent, as the ongoing Israeli occupation continues to impose a brutal siege on the Gaza Strip.

Last year, homes were adorned with Christmas trees, and shops sold festive flowers and gifts to eager families. But this year, these customary signs of Christmas cheer are nowhere to be seen. The destruction caused by the Israeli bombardment has left many shops, including those selling flowers and gifts, in ruins. Ammar Abdo, a flower shop owner in Gaza City, explained how his shop, "The People of Love," once bustled with customers preparing for Christmas. After years of providing flowers and decorations for the holiday, he has been left struggling to survive. The shop was severely damaged by the ongoing airstrikes, and Abdo now barely manages to display a few bouquets in an effort to maintain his business and provide for his family.

Abdo, who has worked in the flower business for over 18 years, reflected on how Christmas in Gaza used to bring joy to both Muslims and Christians alike. However, with Gaza now under relentless attack, celebrations have been all but erased. The situation has only worsened over the past 14 months, with tens of thousands of Palestinians killed or injured, and the destruction of essential infrastructure, leaving the Christian community in Gaza without the means to celebrate the season.

Moreover, many Gazan Christians have been denied the opportunity to travel to Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank due to the closure of the Erez crossing, which has further isolated them from their holy sites and religious traditions. Bethlehem, which usually hosts large Christmas celebrations, has also scaled back this year’s festivities, limiting them to religious ceremonies due to the ongoing conflict and the suffering in Gaza.

Father Abdullah Yuli, a Christian cleric from Ramallah, remarked that this year’s Christmas would not include external celebrations because Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a genocide. "We are one Palestinian people," he said, "and how can we celebrate while our brothers in Gaza are being slaughtered?" Yuli emphasised the unity of all Palestinians, regardless of faith, in the face of such brutality. He reaffirmed the belief that the occupation seeks to erase the presence of Arabs, whether Muslim or Christian, from Palestinian lands.

Despite the hardship, the Christian community holds onto hope that one day they will celebrate together once more. "With our steadfastness and resistance," said Yuli, "we will see our dream fulfilled and hear the bells of churches ringing again, as we raise the Palestinian flag over Jerusalem."

The ongoing Israeli offensive against Gaza continues to inflict unimaginable suffering on its people, with over 55,000 Palestinians killed and tens of thousands more injured, as well as widespread destruction. The festive season may be marked by silence in Gaza, but the resilience and unity of its people persist.


Follow us on X: https://x.com/safanewsagency