Syrians cancel Christmas festivities in solidarity with Gaza

Christmas cheer has deserted the streets of Syria's cities, where the main churches have limited celebrations to prayers in solidarity with Palestinians suffering war in Gaza.

"In Palestine, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, people are suffering," the Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, Mor Dionysius Antoine Shahda, told the media.

The northern Syrian city's central district of Azizia is usually home to a bustling festive market and a huge Christmas tree, while its streets are adorned with lights and trinkets.

But this year, the main square is almost empty and there are no Christmas decorations in sight.

"In Syria we cancelled all official celebrations and receptions in our churches in solidarity with the victims of the bombing on Gaza" by Israeli forces, Shahda said.

The Syriac Catholic Church was not alone, with the leaders of three of Syria's major churches — the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic patriarchs — announcing they were cancelling Christmas festivities and limiting celebrations to religious ceremonies.

Relatives of Jehad Arafat, who was killed in an Israeli bombardment, mourn over his body in Rafah. AFP

"Given the current circumstances, especially in Gaza, the patriarchs apologise for not receiving Christmas and New Year greetings," the trio said in a joint statement, adding they were limiting ceremonies to "prayers".

The health ministry in the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory says more than 20,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its massive air and ground offensive, in response to a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7.

Most of the dead in Gaza are women and children, officials say.

The Hamas attack killed about 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Many Gazans have been displaced by the violence and forced into crowded shelters or tents, often struggling to find food, fuel, water and medical care.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said the ongoing Israeli military campaign left no safe place anywhere across the narrow territory.

Agence France-Presse