Palestinian worshippers took part Sunday in the Christmas Eve service at the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City.

“Of course, this year some permits were granted, but this is not enough. Why? Because they granted around 600 (crossing) permits while the number of Christians in Gaza is 1.066, so everyone wishes to cross the border (to pray in Jerusalem or Bethlehem, ed), especially the young generation. There is a deep desire not only for Christians but for every citizen in the Gaza Strip in the near future to go and pray in the Holy sites in Jerusalem and visit their families there,” Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza told AFP.

Ramzi Tarazi, a Christian worshipper from Gaza said, “The celebrations in Gaza also bring joy, all Christian families come to churches to pray, and we visit each other's homes to celebrate the holiday. But the vibes in Bethlehem are different. People gather at the main square (Manger Square, ed) where there is a Christmas tree. There are Christmas decorations here as well, but not like in Bethlehem, the atmosphere there is more festive.”