BETHLEHEM: Hundreds of people gathered at the Church of the Nativity in the holy city of Bethlehem on Tuesday to mark another solemn Christmas overshadowed by the conflict in Gaza.

Missing for a second consecutive year were the festive decorations, and the crowd paled in comparison to the throngs of tourists and pilgrims of Christmases past — a reflection of the sombre mood as the conflict between Israel and Palest­inian fighters in the Gaza Strip drags on.

At Manger Square, the heart of the Palestinian city dominated by the revered church that marks the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, a group of scouts held a small parade that broke the morning’s silence.

“Our children want to play and laugh,” read a sign carried by one of them, as his friends whistled and cheered.

Traditionally in Bethlehem, a grand Christmas tree would light up Manger Square, but local authorities opted against elaborate celebrations for a second year. “This year we limited our joy,” Bethlehem mayor Anton Salman said.

Prayers, including the church’s famed midnight mass, will still be held in the presence of the Catholic Church’s Latin Patriarch, but the festivities will be of a more strictly religious nature than the festive celebrations the city once held.

Despite the gloomy mood, some Christians in the Holy Land — who number about 185,000 in Israel and 47,000 in the Palestinian territories — are finding refuge in prayer.

Israel’s conflict in Gaza has left 45,338 people dead, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the UN considers reliable.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2024