Bethlehem experiencing a less festive Christmas amid Israel-Hamas war

Christmas will look different in the Middle East this year as Israel's war against Hamas rages on. 

The conflict, which began over 11 weeks ago and has left more than 20,000 Palestinians dead in Gaza, has caused the town of Bethlehem, the globally revered birthplace of Jesus located in the occupied West Bank, to witness a Christmas unlike those in the past. 

Meanwhile, many local shops have closed their doors since the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas. The subsequent Israeli ground offensive has also severely impacted tourism in the Holy Land.