Israel allows Christians from Gaza to visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas

Christians from the Gaza Strip will be able to visit the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas, after the Israeli authorities reversed their decision not to issue them relevant permits. In mid-December, Israel's military liaison to the Palestinians announced that Gazan Christians would be barred from traveling to Israel and the occupied West Bank during the holidays in accordance with "security orders." The Gaza Strip is controlled by the Hamas group, which Israel considers a terrorist organization. The move caused an outcry from Christians both in Gaza and Israel. On Sunday, the liaison office announced on Twitter that the decision had been changed, saying that “entry permits for Jerusalem and for the West Bank will be issued in accordance with security assessments and without regard to age.” There are around 1,000 Christians living in the Gaza Strip, with almost 700 of them visiting the holy cities last Christmas.