Their celebrations were reduced to religious rituals. The Christians of Gaza, whose wounded land intertwined with their sorrow, saw their joy erased during their holidays.

Celebrations were stripped of their former essence, reduced to mere rituals, after their hearts had been broken. These are the Christians of Gaza, a people whose history is inseparable from the story of a city marked by destruction and the martyrdom of their sons.

This is the harsh reality imposed by the ongoing war in Gaza, where Christian holy sites have become targets of Israeli brutality. For the second consecutive year, Christianity has silenced its bells and entered mourning.

The Christmas tree, traditionally a symbol of joy, remained unlit, its colours dimmed by the sadness of those lost. It was enough simply to mark the beginning of the New Year, devoid of any true sense of celebration.

"No holidays, no rituals of joy, no manifestations of life"—these were not just passing words; they were a reality that forced the people to curb their celebrations and prevent any display of Christmas spirit.

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