For many across the world, Christmas is a time for celebration and for spending time with friends and family, but for some people they are not so lucky.
With conflicts still being waged across the globe there is often very little respite from the horrors of war and violence.
Christians in Gaza City are celebrating Christmas for a second year at war, with the fighting continuing into 2026.
Whilst most Christians celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, many Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate it two weeks later, usually on January 7th.
This is primarily down to the adoption of the older Julian calendar in which they still use today.
In a video by AP they spoke to Gazans about what celebrating Christmas is like under continued war conditions.
Bolis Azar, a Gaza resident, said: “Unfortunately, this is the second year we are celebrating during the war that was imposed on us in Gaza” he added, “The holidays lack joy and peace.”
Despite the challenges imposed by war, many Orthodox Christians still attend church with prayer and worship not ceasing.
One worshiper, Ilias Jilda said: “Two years have passed without us celebrating holidays, two years that were harsh and difficult for our Palestinian people in general and for Palestinian Christians in particular.
“We were deprived of celebrating any atmosphere of Christmas, Easter and other holidays.”
For the Christians in the middle east that are both battling war conditions and the challenge of faith this is a brief reprise.
War and fighting continues in the Gaza strip but for Christians in the region there is a glimmer of light as they get to spend time reflecting on the birth of Jesus Christ.
