Palestinian Christians Light Christmas Tree at Gaza City's Holy Family Church

Gaza City, Palestine — Palestinian Christians at Gaza City’s Holy Family Church lit their Christmas tree for the first time since Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. The ancient church nestled in the Old City neighborhood of Gaza City and still standing after numerous Israeli attacks was decorated for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Unicorn Riot heard from two young attendees of the services who shared that they were thankful to be able to be alive to celebrate.

“We decorated the tree,” said 17-year-old church attendee Edward Sabbagh. “We decorated the Nativity scene and the whole church. We’ve gotten into the holiday spirit, and now we’re at the Christmas mass.”

A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect on October 10 but that hasn’t meant the end of deadly Israeli violence or suffering for Palestinians. Israel violated the agreement at least 875 times in the 73 days from Oct. 10 to Dec. 22 and killed at least 406 Palestinians and while injuring over 1,118, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Israel’s Committed 497 Ceasefire Violations Since October, Killing 342 Palestinians [Nov. 2025]

Despite Israel’s deadly violations, Sabbagh said “the idea that there is no war makes us happy” and because of that he finally feels a semblance of “tranquility” again.

Churches in Gaza have repeatedly been attacked by Israel despite sheltering hundreds of Christian civilians. Holy Family, the only Latin Monastery in the Strip, has been attacked by Israel a handful of times since Oct. 2023. At least 23 Christians have been killed and many more wounded in attacks on the churches.

Israel Strikes Gaza’s Catholic Church Again, Kills Three [July 2025]

Speaking from Holy Family, Judy Tawfiq Hilal said, “we can’t change the fact that a lot of people have passed away and we can’t celebrate this Christmas with them. But we should be thanking God for this.”

“Last year, it was terrifying. It was a complete genocide. People were dying of hunger. People were dying of cold. We couldn’t have a chance to live peacefully like the world outside.”
Judy Tawfiq Hilal

Father Gabriel Romanelli leads Christmas Mass next to a lit-up Christmas tree inside Holy Family Church in Gaza City.

With numbers of dead Palestinians ranging from 70,000-220,000 as a result of the U.S.-backed Israeli war on Gaza has greatly impacted Christians in occupied Palestinian territories. Over the recent years, Israeli forces have killed dozens of Christians in Gaza and Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank have been continuing pogroms to ethnically cleanse large swaths of areas to convert them into illegal colonial outposts.