Christians in Gaza, Lebanon celebrate Christmas, German swimmers take holiday plunge
發佈日期: 2025-12-26 21:01
TVB News
Christians in Palestine and Lebanon celebrated the Christmas season in an atmosphere of hope after years of conflict.
Meanwhile, die-hard winter swimmers in Berlin braved the cold and took a traditional holiday plunge.
Palestinian scouts took part in a candlelight procession under the theme of "Light a Candle to Stop the Genocide" in the West Bank town of Beit Sahour, just east of Bethlehem.
Sporadic violence during the Israel-Hamas war have reshaped local communities. As a fragile calm holds, Israeli troops continued to carry out raids in what they described as a crackdown on militants.
Holding candles as a symbol of hope, Beit Sahour's residents were bringing back their cherished tradition that dates back to 1991 to express their commitment to peace, justice and human dignity.
George Rishmawi, director of the Palestinian centre for rapprochement between people in Beit Sahour, noted: "There were no celebrations in the past two years and even this year I cannot even say that these are full celebrations. People still have something in their hearts, of feeling of sadness about what's happening in Palestine."
Fouad Nabil Ayad, a displaced Christian resident in the Gaza Strip, celebrated on Christmas Day, thankful that it offered the embattled enclave a taste of the holiday. He said, "People have forgotten sadness, grief and their problems."
He also expressed regret that Santa Claus will "not be able to go around and distribute gifts" there because of the hardships they were enduring.
After years of humanitarian crisis, much of the Gaza population are still unable to afford goods even though more supplies poured in and prices for essentials came down.
Meanwhile in Tyre, Lebanon, worshippers attended a Mass in one of the oldest Maronite churches to pray for a brighter future.
Pope Leo XIV's recent visit revived hope for locals who experienced nearly daily airstrikes in the past year.
One attendee said they remain believers despite what's happening throughout the south of Lebanon, with hopes that their nation will "return and be born anew."
Elsewhere, swimmers in festive attire took the plunge into ice-cold water of Berlin's Oranke Lake in good spirits as temperatures dropped to minus eight degrees Celsius.
It is a decades-old tradition in the German capital that is expected to continue.
Jens-Peter, a participant of the event, said: "Getting out is a bit more difficult, but if you hurry and put on a bathrobe, then it's all possible."
