In the heart of a devastated Gaza Strip, a fragile ceasefire has offered a brief respite, allowing the territory's tiny Palestinian Christian community a moment to seek the spirit of Christmas. Amidst widespread destruction and displacement, they are clinging to faith and tradition, though celebrations are profoundly muted by loss and uncertainty.
A Glimmer of Celebration Amidst the Ruins
For 76-year-old Attallah Tarazi, recent Christmas presents of socks and a scarf provided a small comfort against the Gaza winter. He joined fellow believers in singing hymns like "Christ is born, Hallelujah" in Arabic within the compound of the Holy Family Church, where he has sheltered for over two years.
The temporary truce, in effect since October 2025, has reduced Israeli strikes, though deadly attacks have not completely ceased. Both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the ceasefire, and a more challenging second phase remains unimplemented. The war began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 250 taken hostage.
"I feel like our joy over Christ's birth must surpass all the bitterness that we’ve been through," said Tarazi. "In such a glorious moment, it’s our right to forget all that’s war, all that’s danger, all that's bombardment."
Inescapable Grief and a 'No Peace, No War' Reality
For others, the toll of the conflict makes celebration unthinkable. Shadi Abo Dowd faces his first Christmas since his mother was killed in July. She died during an Israeli attack on the same Holy Family Church compound that shelters Tarazi and many displaced people. Israel expressed regret, calling the incident an accident.
Abo Dowd's son was wounded in the same assault, which also injured the parish priest. An Orthodox Christian who observes Christmas on 7 January, Abo Dowd said he plans no festivities beyond religious rituals. "There’s no feast," he stated. "Things are difficult. The wound is still there. The suffering and pain are still there. We’re still living in a state of no peace and no war."
Israel's offensive has killed nearly 71,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. The ministry, whose figures are seen as generally reliable, notes around half the dead are women and children. The war has displaced most of Gaza's 2 million residents and caused vast destruction, recently exacerbated by torrential rains that flooded camps and collapsed damaged buildings.
A Community Fears for Its Future in Gaza
The departure of friends and relatives casts a long shadow. For 23-year-old Wafa Emad ElSayegh, decorating Gaza's Greek Orthodox church highlighted painful absences. "We used to be together in everything," he said, reminiscing about celebrations that once drew both Christians and Muslims.
Elynour Amash, 35, strives to create cheer for her children with decorations and a tree. "My children feel a little bit of joy, like breathing after a long period of suffocation," she told The Associated Press. She is thankful her home stands, but scenes of displaced families in flimsy tents move her to tears.
She does not believe the war has truly ended. "The sounds of explosions and gunfire can still be heard, and the fear hasn’t left the hearts," she said, noting her youngest child trembles at loud noises. "It’s as if the war lives inside of him."
Both Abo Dowd and Amash worry about the Christian presence fading from Gaza, as many have fled or hope to leave. "It's a tragedy," Abo Dowd said, concerned for Gaza's social fabric. His children desire to study abroad. "They're young. What will they stay to do? There's no future."
Despite the pain, determination remains. Tarazi, who lost a sister in an Israeli airstrike on an Orthodox church compound and a brother who couldn't access medical care, prays for peace and freedom. "Our faith and our joy over Christ's birth are stronger than all circumstances," he affirmed.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, recently visited Holy Family Parish, marking Christmas celebrations for a community enduring "dark and challenging times." For Gaza's Christians, this season is a testament to resilience, a search for light in profound darkness, and a fragile hope that the ceasefire might hold.
