Overview
- Thousands gathered in Manger Square as the 20-metre tree was lit, marking the city’s first public Christmas ceremony since 2022.
- The event opened with the Palestinian national anthem and a moment of silence for Gaza’s dead, and organizers skipped fireworks in a nod to ongoing uncertainty.
- Reporting notes the truce between Israel and Hamas is in its second month and fragile, with a Gaza death toll reported above 70,000 since 2023.
- Bethlehem’s tourism-driven economy remains badly damaged, with many shops and hotels shuttered and some merchants reopening only for the ceremony.
- Israeli security measures in the West Bank have tightened with new checkpoints and roadblocks, yet Christians, Muslims, local residents and some international visitors still reached the square.