Christmas 2024 Palestine edition: Baby Jesus is still in the rubble

No words better capture the spirit of Christmas in Palestine this year than those of Rev. Munther Isaac of the Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, who said in his sermon earlier this week, “Christ is still under the rubble in Gaza.”

Christmas celebrations are canceled in the city of Jesus Christ's birth for the second year in a row.

On Friday in Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, Reverend Munther Isaac of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church delivered a sermon titled "Christ is still in the rubble.” pic.twitter.com/EJLs3jGack

— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) December 23, 2024

Last year Isaac said his famous words “Baby Jesus is under the rubble” and this year he repeats it to the world but there is no use.

Here is what he said written.

Today we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ... here in our land in Palestine...
Here in Palestine, we live under the harshest and most difficult conditions. Bethlehem is besieged. Jerusalem is wounded. And Gaza is being annihilated. This year we say, Christ is still under the…

— Munther Isaac منذر اسحق (@MuntherIsaac) December 24, 2024

Rev. Isaac and Palestine Ambassador to the UK Hossam Zamalot who is originally from Gaza and lost direct relatives in the war have a message to share with the world this Christmas.

To the people of the UK and all those celebrating #Christmas: A joint message from Rev Dr @MuntherIsaac and H.E. Dr @hzomlot.#Palestine#Bethlehem#ChristmasInBethlehem#Christmas2024 pic.twitter.com/LvqrZCKwvg

— Palestine in the UK (@PalMissionUK) December 21, 2024

The Churches of Bethlehem announced the cancellation of this year’s Christmas celebrations for the 2nd year in a row in solidarity with Gaza and Lebanon.

The annual Christmas Bethlehem procession is turned into a silent march "Anadolu"

For the 2nd year in a row, the Christmas procession in Bethlehem turned into a silent march demanding an immediate ceasefire.

BETHLEHEM

Christians process through the streets for Christmas, this time in silence pic.twitter.com/O5vY4bYxl0

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) December 24, 2024

On Christmas Eve, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) revealed a harrowing statistic: a Palestinian child is killed every hour in Gaza by Israeli occupation forces. I think this explains why the Churches in Palestine cancelled the celebrations.

Baby Jesus under the rubble

According to the recent issue on Gaza from UNRWA earlier this week, citing UNICEF, the number of Palestinian children killed since the onset of the Israeli aggression on Gaza has reached 14,500.

Between 7 October 2023 and 17 December 2024, at least 45,059 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, and 107,041 injured, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza as reported by OCHA.

On 20 October, OCHA shared a breakdown from the MoH of 40,717 fatalities out of 42,010 documented by 7 October 2024. 

These figures reportedly include 13,319 children, 7,216 women, 3,447 elderly, and 16,735 men. 

Among the child fatalities, 786 were under one year old, representing about six per cent of the killed children whose full identification details have been recorded. 

The MoH also reported that 35,055 children have lost one or both parents over the past year.

OCHA further reported that, as of 17 December, approximately 80.5 per cent of the Gaza Strip is under active Israeli-issued evacuation orders. 

The UN’s latest data shows that at least 1.9 million people – around 90 per cent of the population – across Gaza are displaced, many having been forced to move repeatedly, some as many as 10 times.

Despite all that happened and is happening, Catholic Palestinians held their Christmas mass in Gaza on Tuesday at the Latin Convent Church in North Gaza.

Here is a video report by Osama Abu Rabie that was translated by Translating Falasteen. “You should follow its social media accounts to get direct information from Gaza”

While Christians in Gaza attempt to celebrate Christmas, the horrifying reality around them remains overwhelming. Layan Hazem Tarazi, a young Palestinian girl in North Gaza, shares her experience of celebrating Christmas amidst ongoing Israeli aggression. She recounts losing her… pic.twitter.com/eo1SyHtr5s

— Translating Falasteen (Palestine) (@translatingpal) December 24, 2024

Pope Francis connects daily via FaceTime with people staying at the Church, offering them solace and solidarity.

Earlier this month, the Pope unveiled a nativity scene at the Vatican featuring Baby Jesus wrapped in a Palestinian kufiyah, sparking widespread attention and controversy in the West. 

Unfortunately, the display was removed a few days ago, but its powerful message resonated globally due to media coverage.

Pope Francis has been more vocal about the war in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire, than many Arab leaders.

“This is cruelty, this is not war,” Pope Francis told an audience of members of the government of the Holy See, condemning the killing of children in Gaza by Israeli forces. The Israeli attack on Friday left seven children from one family dead. pic.twitter.com/xj59N1wkqT

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) December 21, 2024

Yet, despite his support, Christian Palestinians feel just as abandoned as their Muslim counterparts.

There is always hope. Earlier Tuesday I found out that people in South Lebanon had set a Christmas tree inside Saint Georges Church of Derdghaiya in South Lebanon which was bombed by the Israeli army on 9 October 2024.

The church, standing for over 200 years, was bombed and reduced to rubble by Israel.

Nine innocent civilians, seeking refuge within its sacred walls, were tragically killed.

On Christmas Eve, the people of Derdghayia decided to set up a Christmas tree to send a message that there is always hope. That's a message in its own way.