A Gloomy Christmas Worldwide Amid Gaza Strip and Ukraine Wars

Israel Launches Concentrated Attacks on Southern Gaza
Fires Extinguished, Shops Desolate... Events Significantly Reduced

As the pain of war continues in various parts of the world, including the Gaza Strip in Palestine and Ukraine, the global community has faced a somber Christmas.

According to AP and AFP reports on the 24th (local time), the Israeli military continued airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in Palestine even on Christmas Eve. Witnesses reported that from the previous night until early morning, Israeli airstrikes concentrated on southern Gaza areas such as Rafah and Khan Yunis, resulting in numerous casualties.

Christmas tree installed at Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine
[Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

The Israeli military stated in a press release that "overnight, land, sea, and air forces struck approximately 200 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip." It was also reported that over 70 members of a single family, including UN staff, died due to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed observations that the United States recently demanded Israel not to escalate military actions during a wartime cabinet meeting, emphasizing, "Israel is a sovereign nation. Our military decisions are based on our own calculations."

The Israeli military also reported that nine of its soldiers died the previous day, bringing the total number of fatalities since the outbreak of war on October 7 to 152.

Ukraine, marking its second Christmas amid war, is also experiencing a bleak holiday season this year. Russia has targeted infrastructure such as power plants for the winter, causing Ukraine to suffer from shortages of electricity, heating, and water supply once again.

However, this year, Ukraine has broken away from the Russian Orthodox Church practice of celebrating Christmas on January 7 according to the Julian calendar as part of its 'erasure of Russian influence,' and will celebrate Christmas on December 25 for the first time in 100 years, suggesting that more diverse Christmas events will be held compared to last year.

Christmas decorations in Damascus, the capital of Syria
[Photo by AFP]

Meanwhile, in Middle Eastern countries with Christian populations such as Bethlehem in the West Bank of the Jordan River, known as the birthplace of Jesus, as well as Syria and Lebanon, Christmas events were either canceled or significantly scaled down. Bethlehem, which usually hosts grand celebrations including a spectacular tree lighting ceremony and parades every Christmas, saw none of these events this year.

The entire city was engulfed in sorrow as more than 20,000 people died in the Gaza Strip, only 70 km away from Bethlehem.

In Syria, where Christian churches exist, Christmas decorations have completely disappeared. In Azaz, a major city in northern Syria, a huge Christmas tree is usually erected in the square in December, adorned with lights and decorations, but this year it was absent.

Mor Dionysius Antoun Shahda, Archbishop of the Syrian Catholic Church, stated, "In Syria, in solidarity with the victims of the Israeli military bombings in the Gaza Strip, all official commemorative and welcoming events held in churches have been canceled."