"The Bells Of Bethlehem Ring For Ceasefire In Gaza" (image X @nour_odeh)
On Christmas Eve, the Israeli occupation force hulked up their brutal genocidal bombing in Gaza. Central Gaza’s al-Maghazi refugee camp was hit, killing more than 70 Palestinians. Gaza Health Ministry said the airstrike was the deadliest single Israeli attack since October 7th. The death toll in Gaza has reached 20,424, most of whom are women and children.
Al-Maghazi refugee camp was in central Gaza, which is now flattened down by the occupation force. The refugee camp sheltered thousands including the evacuees from north Gaza, who evacuated Gaza Wadi upon the order from the occupation force. The occupation force is bombing the supposed “safe place”, asking the civilians to move to the south of Gaza which is already overwhelmed with evacuees.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis, taking to his X (formerly twitter) said, “tonight our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected”. Earlier, he said that Jesus’s message of peace is being overshadowed by the “futile logic of war” in his very own land. During the Mass on Sunday evening, where more than 6,500 people gathered at the St Peter’s Basilica at Vatican. The pontiff stressed that the real message of Christmas is peace and love and urged people not to fall prey to the worldly success and the “idolatry of consumerism”.
Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war, by the clash of arms that even today prevents him from finding room in the world. #Christmas
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) December 24, 2023
Bethlehem, the biblical town in the occupied West Bank has effectively called off all the Christmas celebrations. Christians believe Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago. The ancient stone walled streets of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, which would normally draw thousands of tourists, are deserted on this Christmas. No Christmas tree, marching bands or any flamboyant festivities that are the signature scenes of the biblical town on every December.
Bethlehem decided to cancel out the celebration in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. A huge Palestinian flag has been unfolded in the centre of Bethlehem town that carried a banner which read, “The bells of Bethlehem ring for a ceasefire in Gaza”. Al Jazeera quoted 18-year-old Nicole Najjar from the town as saying, “a lot of people are dying for this land…it’s really hard to celebrate while our people are dying”.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister pledged to invade deeper into Gaza after his troop faced one of the worst week in which over 40 occupations soldiers was killed in the battle. Netanyahu’s wife, Sara Netanyahu sent a letter to Pope Francis, asking his “personal intervention” and use his “influence to demand the unconditional release of all the hostages without delay”. She also asked the Pope to demand the Red Cross to visit all the hostages at once. She accused the Red Cross for failing in their medicinal deliverables to the hostages. She said the Pope’s “intervention could tilt the balance and save precious lives”.
רעיית ראש הממשלה, הגברת שרה נתניהו, ממשיכה במאמצים המדיניים לשחרור חטופינו.
הערב שיגרה הגברת נתניהו מכתב רשמי לאפיפיור פרנציסקוס, ובו היא ביקשה את סיועו במאמצים להשבת חטופינו המוחזקים על ידי חמאס-דאעש בעזה.
למכתב המלא >>https://t.co/MvYxn17KUP pic.twitter.com/LizwsHG33k
— ראש ממשלת ישראל (@IsraeliPM_heb) December 24, 2023
