Israel Hamas War: No Christmas tree in the holy land as Gaza suffers

Sadness over the war in Gaza subdued the holiday cheer in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve when the biblical town would usually be decked out in festive fineryThere was no revelry on Sunday with few worshippers or tourists on the streets of the Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank which according to Christian tradition was the birthplace of Jesus ChristCelebrations in the Holy Land have mostly been cancelled in solidarity with the people of Gaza who are living through the deadliest war ever to engulf the besieged Palestinian territoryA lot of people are dying for this land says Nicole Najjar an 18yearold student in the citys deserted Manger SquareIts really hard to celebrate while our people are dyingA work of art evoking the tragedy of the war has been installed on the ground opposite the Church of the Nativity taking the place of the lifesize nativity scene and colossal Christmas tree that would normally be thereOn the building next door a large banner reads Stop the genocide stop the displacement lift the blockadeWar broke out when Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7 and killed about 1140 people mostly civilians and seized 250 hostages according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figuresIsrael has vowed to eliminate Hamas in response and its military campaign which has included massive aerial bombardment has killed 20424 people mostly women and children according to Gazas health ministryIn the Hamasruled Palestinian territory an estimated 1000 Christians have taken refuge in churchesLast week a mother and daughter were killed by an Israeli sniper inside the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City according to the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista PizzaballaLife not deathPizzaballa addressed the people of Gaza during midnight massWe wont abandon you he said at the Church of Saint CatherineTheir suffering ceaselessly cries out to the whole world he saidThousands of people have been deprived of their basic needs they are hungry and they are even more exposed to incomprehensible violenceIn normal years a festive parade wakes the city up with bagpipes and tambourinesBut this year people took to the streets silentlyWe want life not death proclaimed one of the banners carried by children through the streetsIn the morning a huge Palestinian flag was unfurled in Manger Square held at either end by Christians and MuslimsThis year is different from all the others its a year of sadness grief destruction deprivation and loss says Mervat Murra 50 a fashion designer from BethlehemAtrocityNear Manger Square the Giacaman family opened their shop selling nativity scenes and other religious objects for the first time in 11 weeksDuring Covid we had two bad years but thats nothing compared to this says Amir Giacaman 29The hostilities in Gaza have spread to the West Bank a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 where more than 300 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October by Israeli soldiers or settlersWe dont feel like celebrating while Gaza is suffering genocide and even here in the West Bank we mourn young people killed by the Israelis and others detained every day Mitri Raheb pastor of a Lutheran church in Bethlehem tells AFPAll we want for Christmas is a lasting ceasefire to put an end to this atrocity he saysBethlehem gave Jesus to the world Its high time the world gave peace to Bethlehem and Gaza