BETHLEHEM, West Bank — In the little town of Bethlehem, Christmas this year is barely a whisper. There was no jubilant countdown to the lighting of the Christmas tree in the main square. Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa celebrated mass in Gaza City on Dec. 22. It serves as a reminder of the thousands of Palestinian children killed in Israeli strikes during the war, Isaac said. “We see Jesus in every child pulled from under the rubble in Gaza.”Aside from the suffering in Gaza, Bethlehem faces its own challenges.

---

Persons: Jerusalem Pierbattista, Omar al, It’s, ”, Munther Isaac, Isaac, Isaac said, “, Rony Tabash, ” Isaac, Tarazi, ” Tarazi, Samhiaa Azzam, Atallah, Atallah Halim Tarazi, ” Samhiaa Organizations: West Bank —, Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Getty, Evangelical, Christmas Church, NBC News, Bank, ”, International Court, Justice, Families, NBC Locations: BETHLEHEM, West, Bethlehem, Gaza, Gaza City, AFP, Christmas, Israel, Israeli, Jerusalem