GAZA CITY, Palestine

Hamas on Sunday commended the Palestinian Christians’ decision to limit their Christmas celebrations to religious rituals amid the Israeli war on Gaza.

"The holidays of our Christian people come this year amid a continuing fascist aggression launched by the occupation (forces) against all components of our Palestinian people targeting all both mosques and churches," Hamas said in a statement

"We appreciate the position of the Christians of our honorable national Palestinian people who limit their celebrations this year … and stand united with our people in the Gaza Strip, which is subjected to brutal Zionist aggression," the statement said.

It added that the decision “confirms that our people … Muslims and Christians alike, are united on the path of resilience, preserving their identity, and protecting their Islamic and Christian sanctities.”

Earlier, the Palestinian Christians announced the cancelation of all Christmas celebrations, including not lighting Christmas trees for the first time in Palestine's history since the Nakba of 1948.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 20,424 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 54,036 others, according to health authorities in the enclave.

Around 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins with half of the coastal territory's housing stock damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely-populated enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.


*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Ankara