But for some, like Jerusalem resident Hisham Makhoul, spending Christmas in the holy city provided an "escape" from the Israel-Hamas war raging for more than 14 months in the Gaza Strip.

one of these stationary points occurred when Jupiter was directly overhead in Bethlehem for several nights, aligning with biblical accounts,” said Kim. The “Christmas Star” may have been a ...

Bethlehem prepared Tuesday to mark another somber Christmas in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. The excitement and cheer that typically descends on the ...

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — In the little town of Bethlehem, Christmas this year is barely a whisper. Palestinian scouts paraded through the streets but without their traditional instruments of drums ...

A worshipper walks through the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024.