Jakarta, hitclubapk3 Indonesia
—
Holy Family Catholic Church (The Holy Family Church) in
City
Gaza
crowded with congregations.The lights on the Christmas tree were twinkling.
That day was the celebration of the first Christmas Mass for Gazans in two years after Israel’s brutal aggression.The celebration took place during a ceasefire agreed in November 2025.
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The sparkling lights of Christmas trees and holiday decorations cannot hide the harsh reality of the situation in Gaza.The church decided to limit celebrations to prayer services, short family gatherings.
However, for residents in Gaza, this celebration gives rise to hope.Hearing such a loud bell made their hearts full and whole.
One of those people was 58-year-old Dmitri Boulos.He hopes that this year’s Christmas joy will end all the suffering of the people in Gaza and lift all restrictions.
“We try to make ourselves and our children feel that what is coming will be better, even though the reality is very difficult,” he said as reported
Al Jazeera
on Thursday (25/12).
“We hope everything will return to normal,” he added.
Before the Israeli aggression, the number of Christians in Gaza reached 1,000 people.However, this number has continued to shrink in recent years.
Buolos then said that when Israel intensively attacked Gaza, his house in Tal Al Hawa was also destroyed.He and his family were forced to flee to a place considered safe.They then chose to go to church.However, places of worship cannot be separated from being targets for Zionist forces.
“The church was attacked twice while we were there, and we lost loved ones during that period,” he said.
Israel targeted a number of churches that were shelters for Palestinians.Some of them are the Holy Family Church, St Porphyrius Orthodox Church, and Gaza Baptist Church.
The Church of the Holy Family is the only Catholic parish in Gaza that has symbolic meaning.During the aggression, the former Catholic leader of the world, the late Pope Francis, often communicated with parishes there to ask for developments in the situation in Gaza.
“There used to be a deep sense of fear and grief over loss. How can we celebrate when all around us is hurt and full of sadness?”Buolos said.
Nowzand Terzi still feels the trauma and loss.The 63-year-old man was also forced to flee because his house was destroyed by the Israeli attack.He also lost his child due to illness and could not be taken to hospital due to the strict restrictions of the Zionist forces.
“May God help those who have lost their loved ones, and may conditions in the Gaza Strip calm down,” said Terzi while praying for peace and safety for all.
This is the hope echoing throughout the Gaza Strip as two million people face Israeli attacks, ceasefire violations, food shortages, medicine shortages and living in inadequate housing.
(end)
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