No Christmas tree in Bethlehem as holiday pared down over Gaza war
"We have never seen Bethlehem like this, not even during the time of COVID. The town is empty, sad."
A monk stands inside the Church of the Nativity on the day of the launch of the beginning of the Christmas season, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Bethlehem in the West Bank, December 2, 2023.(photo credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)
