Devoid of visitors, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City is haunted by an unusual quiet.

The holiest place in Christianity has been emptied of its normal throngs of visitors by Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Briton Noel Gomez, a Catholic, organises Christian pilgrimages and stands where the faithful say Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him) was crucified, interred and resurrected. It was practically empty.

“I’m shocked to see this,” he told AFP. “I thought maybe at least 50 or 100 people here. It’s only me and you here now.”

At the beginning of November, he was supposed to accompany a 60-strong group to the church. But since the October 7 attacks on Israel, such tours have been cancelled.

Read more here.