Bethlehem resembles a ghost town on Christmas Eve as celebrations called off over Israel-Hamas war

People walk by the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, resembled a ghost town on Sunday as Christmas Eve celebrations were called off because of the ongoing war between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists.

The festive lights and Christmas tree that normally decorate Manger Square were missing. The foreign tourists who gather each year to celebrate Christmas were also absent. Instead, dozens of Palestinian security forces patrolled the empty area.

The gift shops in the region were slow to open on Christmas Eve, but a few did when rain stopped pouring. Still, there were few visitors.

The cancellation of Christmas festivities this year is a significant blow to the town’s economy. Tourism makes up an estimated 70% of Bethlehem’s income, and most of that comes during the Christmas season.

More than 20,000 people have been killed in Gaza and Israel since Hamas launched its largest attack against Israel in decades on Oct. 7, leading to Israeli forces launching a ground operation into the territory.