After two years of Israel’s genocidal war on the Strip, Gaza City’s Holy Family Church has officially lit its Christmas tree. The main prayer hall’s main prayer hall is packed with Christmas Eve devotees. Many of them are joyful and excited because they are still alive, not just because Christmas is approaching.
The harsh reality that the conflict in Gaza left behind was unmasked by the glowing lights on the large Christmas tree and holiday decorations. The church made the decision to limit the celebrations to a brief family gathering and a prayer service, but the loud bells rang out.
Dmitri Boulos, 58, missed Christmas while serving in the war. After heavy Israeli shelling hit his home in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, south of Gaza City, he was forced to flee along with his wife and two children in the first few days of fighting.
At the time, we fled to the church in search of safety, but it turned out there wasn’t anywhere safe, according to Boulos. We lost friends and loved ones there at the time the church was struck twice while we were inside.
He recalled that nothing in particular had no flavor. For the people we lost, there was great anxiety and grief. When everything is hurt and depressed, how can we celebrate? ”
Boulos hopes that all the suffering and restrictions on Gaza will be lifted this Christmas and the new year.
Even though the reality is difficult, he said, “We are trying to make ourselves and our children feel better.” We anticipate that things will turn around. ”
Beyond the Strip, the only Catholic parish in Gaza, the Holy Family Church, has a long history of symbolic significance. The late Pope Francis called the parish almost daily throughout the conflict, keeping a direct line to the besieged area.
The majority of Palestine’s Christians reside in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, with about 47,000 to 50,000 of them residing in Gaza before the war.
In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of Christians in Gaza. There are only a few hundred registered today, a significant decrease from the 3,000 in 2007.
Israeli attacks during the conflict targeted a number of Christian places of worship where many displaced Palestinians sought refuge.
The other churches in Gaza City, including the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius and the Anglican St. Philip’s Church, were not placed by Israel in the areas designated for expulsions.
However, the nearly 550 displaced people who are staying in the Holy Family Church still have reservations about Israel’s military. Despite Israeli assurances that it does not target places of worship, the church has already been attacked numerous times.
Many of those people continue to experience trauma and attempt to rekindle normality.
As she watched the worshippers outside the Holy Family Church’s courtyard without engaging them, Nowzand Terzi said, “My heart is still heavy with the tragedies and exhaustion we endured during the war.”
We were evacuated here two years ago because of bombardment. After remembering her 27-year-old daughter, who did not make it on time to the hospital as a result of the war, I lost my home in an Israeli strike, and then I lost my daughter, who passed away suddenly last year and passed away,” said Terzi as her voice swelled.
She wished peace and safety for all and that God may bless those who have lost loved ones in the Gaza Strip.
Nearly two million people in the Gaza Strip are suffering from ongoing Israeli attacks and ceasefire violations, as well as a lack of food, medicine, shelter, and basic services.
According to the Gaza Government Media Office, more than 288,000 families are facing a shelter crisis as a result of Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid.
UN figures show that more than 80% of Gaza’s buildings have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict, leading to significant displacement.
Even though Edward Sabah is only 18 years old, he is well-versed in the horrors of war and displacement. He found refuge in the Saint Porphyrius Church in the Zeitoun neighborhood of eastern Gaza City after being forced to leave his house during the war. In an Israeli attack that resulted in 18 casualties on October 19, 2023, the church was bombed.
When a massive explosion struck one of the church buildings, Sabah recalls, “We were gathered in the church courtyard.”
The church was targeted, but it did happen. During the war, nothing unusual happened. He continued, adding that he and his family managed to survive and later moved to a different church, where they resided for a year and a half.
We made an effort to create a sense of sadness during the past two Christmases, he said. He also has a lifelong desire and a sense of hope.
Although the intensity is lower this year, we are still concerned about what might occur. Sabah added that he hopes to finish his high school education by decorating the church and making an effort to make the atmosphere joyful.
Many Christians in the Gaza Strip and the rest of Palestine have a sense of joy and relief as a result of this Christmas. Despite the suffering, tragedies, and wars, many Palestinians still describe their sense of belonging and kinship with their land.
For the first time in two years, Gaza-based 32-year-old Janet Massadm made the decision to style her hair and sew new clothes in honor of Christmas.
We are sick of losing so much of our lives and our years, Massadm said emotionally.
Because of what we witnessed, she continued, “Inside, I am completely exhausted.” What can we do, though? We must strive to bring about happiness. ”
Massadm fled the Remal neighborhood of central Gaza City with her family, her parents, her brother, and sister after being bombarded by the government.
Source: Aljazeera
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