In Gaza, a Christmas without trees
In the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, Tony Al-Masri, known as Uncle Tony, sat with his wife, Amal Aboud, and neighbor, Hossam Al-Khalili in front of their small tent. They sipped coffee and reminisced about the Christmas they missed for another year.
Uncle Tony, 78, was first evacuated during the 1948 Nakba from his birthplace, Haifa, in the area around Wadi Nisnas. His family was forced to flee to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, where they lived in the Dbayeh camp, before returning to the Gaza Strip.
“This is not the first time I have lost my home and loved ones,” he said. UN News.
He recalls the happiness and joy that filled Gaza during the holiday season before the seemingly endless war.
“We often celebrate Christmas, go to church to perform rituals and greet each other. The priest will be among us in the churchyard. Our neighbors in Gaza City will wish us well every year.”
He said he used to go to Bethlehem to visit his children and grandchildren, “but now, for the second year, we don’t get a holiday because of the war.”
He shared that he and his wife Amal Aboud often decorate the Christmas tree during the holiday season and stay up late on Christmas Eve buying cookies, cakes and other sweets.
“The celebration will begin after midnight. We would prepare dinner, sit together and have our sons and daughters by our side. But now, there is no one here. My husband and I will sit alone to celebrate, with no one else around. That’s the hardest thing for me right now.”
No joy, no smiles
Amal added that every day in the Gaza Strip has been a challenge since the conflict began in October 2023.
“No joy, no smiles, no holidays, nothing. We are merely passing the test of time. At night, while you were sleeping, you suddenly heard a loud explosion. You jump up like a crazy person. You don’t know what to do. You curl up and cry, but you can’t go back to sleep. There is no safe place to rest. There is no life. Nothing can make you happy or comfortable.”
Uncle Tony and his wife, Amal, and their neighbor, Hossam, were drinking tea.
A family of your choosing
Despite the harsh conditions, the solidarity of Muslim neighbors in the western camp of Khan Younis offers a glimmer of hope.
Hossam Al-Khalili, Tony’s uncle’s neighbor in Gaza City before the relocation, searched for his Christian neighbor after his family was displaced to Rafah. When he learned that Tony was staying in Khan Younis, Mr. Al-Khalili decided to move nearby.
“He was like a father to me. I brought him closer to me in the camp because he was an old man who needed someone to take care of him and his wife. I brought him close so my children and I could help him,” he said.
“We eat together and live like a family. I help him with everything he needs, including shopping.”
Uncle Tony and his wife, Amal, and their neighbor, Hossam, are having dinner together
A wish of peace
Filled with nostalgia, Uncle Tony expressed hope for peace and the war to end soon.
“I hope that 2025 will be a good year for all nations, especially the Palestinian people. I hope that the bloodshed and war will end, and that everyone can once again experience the joy of the holidays. May God have mercy on all those killed in war,” he said.
“My wish is for the beautiful days to return, so that I can travel to visit my grandchildren, daughter, and son. That is my greatest wish.”
