Gaza’s Christian children mark Christmas with no gifts or joy

While children around the world exchange gifts and warm greetings for Christmas and the New Year, Gaza’s Christian children can not celebrate or experience any joy as Israel’s war persists. 

Dozens of Christian children gathered with their families in the Holy Family Church’s courtyard in Gaza City to perform the holiday prayers. Katalia Habisha, a Gaza-based Christian girl, was among tens of children who attended. The 12-year-old girl told The New Arab that she does not feel happy this year, as the Israeli army continues its crimes in Gaza. 

“We live in sadness all the time because of the Israeli bombing, killing and destruction […] I did not wear new clothes and did not receive gifts from my friends and family; everyone here is sad and grieving,” she remarked. 

Two years ago, Katalia spent Christmas with her family in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank after they obtained a permit from the Israeli authorities to visit the holy city, to which Christians around the world come.

But for the second year in a row, Katalia and all Palestinians Christians in Gaza were unable to travel to Bethlehem because of the war and restrictions by Israel.

According to the government media office in Gaza, the Israeli army did not differentiate between Muslims and Christians in the Gaza Strip in its fierce and destructive attack, killing approximately 20 Christians in separate attacks in Gaza City recently.

Among the deaths was Rayan Tarzi, Katalia’s friend. “The Israeli army killed my best friend in cold blood. I miss my friend; we used to exchange congratulations and gifts on days like these […] The army has killed the joy in our hearts, our hopes and optimism,” the 12-year-old said. 

“We are children who have the right to live like children around the world, and we have the right to live our lives without killing, fear, war or terror,” she added. 

Isaac Shuhaiber, another Palestinian Christian 12-year-old child from Gaza, said he had hoped to celebrate Christmas in Gaza without the war still ongoing.

“I miss my life before the war, visiting my relatives and friends and exchanging gifts,” he added. “I hope the war ends, and we can get our lives back and return to our homes.” 

Indiscriminate Israeli attacks

Both Katalia and Rayan were displaced from their homes in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood and took refuge with their families in the Holy Family Church building.

Before the war, approximately 1,000 Christians lived in the Gaza Strip, some of whom worked as teachers, government jobs, gold smithing, and trade, according to Ismail Thawabta, director of the government media office.

“The numbers and facts show the extent of the suffering that this authentic component of the Palestinian social fabric is exposed to, as [Israel] killed more than three percent of Christians in the Gaza Strip. Their number has decreased to about 650 due to the [Israeli] occupation’s policies,” Thawabta told TNA. 

He stressed that the targeting of the small Christian community in the Gaza Strip by Israel “is part of a systematic policy aimed at eliminating the diverse human and historical presence in the Strip, as the occupation does not respect the heavenly religions in direct targeting and systematic bombing.”

Over 14 months of Israel’s genocidal war, its army destroyed three major churches in the Gaza Strip in flagrant violation of all international norms and covenants that guarantee the protection of places of worship.

Christian civilians were not spared, as population centres in the vicinity of the churches were directly targeted, resulting in casualties and dozens of injuries of varying severity.

Christian schools and institutions also suffered heavy losses, and large parts of the Christian community’s property were destroyed, including safe zones that were supposed to be a refuge for families fleeing the “Israeli” bombing.

Christians, like other people in the besieged coastal enclave, are deprived of access to humanitarian aid and basic materials in light of a stifling siege and a systematic starvation policy.

Thawabta stressed that the continued targeting of Christians in the Gaza Strip is not just numbers and statistics; instead, it is an attack on a shared history, culture and identity that spans decades. 

He added that the Palestinian Christian community is an integral part of the Palestinian people, and targeting it is an attack on the entire Palestinian existence. 

He called on the international community and human rights and humanitarian organisations to intervene urgently and immediately to stop Israel’s war crimes and ethnic cleansing. 

“Gaza, with its Muslims and Christians, will remain resistant to the attempts of genocide and uprooting carried out by the Israeli occupation, but its churches and mosques will remain a witness to the steadfastness of its proud people,” he added.