US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
Christmas Spirit Returns to Bethlehem After Ceasefire in Gaza
After months of conflict, local choirs in Bethlehem resume singing Christmas hymns, with families and markets returning as tourism begins to recover, officials said.
- On Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, choirs returned to sing at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, where the traditional midnight hymn will be performed in the grotto.
- Following months of conflict, a ceasefire permitted public celebrations to restart as tourism collapsed, unemployment soared, and about 4,000 people left Bethlehem in search of work, the mayor said.
- Joseph Hazboun said the hymns carry renewed meaning and a message of hope, reminding that 'hope is always alive' and the moment makes the music especially powerful.
- Residents say the revival of hymns has given Bethlehem a rare lift in morale, as the community Christmas tree lighting earlier this month brought holiday joy to families and children.
- Christians make up less than 2% of the West Bank's roughly 3 million residents, and attacks by Israeli settlers this year hit their highest level since the U.N. humanitarian office began data collection in 2006.
Insights by Ground AI
18 Articles
18 Articles
Associated Press News+15 Reposted by 15 other sources
Christmas spirit returns to Bethlehem after ceasefire in Gaza
At midnight on Christmas Eve, the hymn “The Night of Christmas” will ring out in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was born.
·United States
Read Full Article
Christmas hymns return to Bethlehem after ceasefire brings brief respite
Despite the fragile calm, tensions remain high across the West Bank, and uncertainty lingers. Still, for many in Bethlehem, the return of Christmas hymns and celebrations offers a rare moment of hope — a reminder that even after darkness, light can return.
·Pointe-Noire, Congo
Read Full Article
After two long years of not publicly celebrating Christmas, Christians in Palestine are preparing to commemorate one of the most important dates of their religious calendar in the city of Bethlehem. The post A Christmas in Bethlehem appeared first on Free Letters.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources18
Leaning Left9Leaning Right2Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution53% Left
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources lean Left
53% Left
L 53%
C 35%
12%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
