Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus located in the West Bank, is usually packed with tourists during Christmas. Home to sites like the Church of the Nativity, which is believed to be the location of Jesus' birth, worshippers come from all over the world to celebrate the holiday season in the "little town of Bethlehem," as the famous Christmas carol goes.
This year, amid the Israel-Hamas war, Bethlehem is a "ghost town," AP reported. Christian Palestinian leaders canceled public Christmas celebrations, citing the widespread bombing, death, and destruction in Gaza that has killed over 20,000 Palestinians. Access to the West Bank has also remained restricted by Israel since the initial October 7 Hamas attacks that killed about 1,200 Israelis with over 240 taken hostage.
"Our message every year on Christmas is one of peace and love, but this year it's a message of sadness, grief, and anger in front of the international community with what is happening and going on in the Gaza Strip," Bethlehem's mayor, Hana Haniyeh, said in a Christmas address.
Here's what Christmas in Bethlehem looks like this year.