The Israeli occupation authorities prevented 200 Christians in the besieged Gaza Strip from travelling to Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank to participate in Christmas celebrations.

The Director of Information of the Orthodox Church of Gaza, Kamel Ayade, said that the Orthodox Church had sent a disclosure to the Civil Affairs Commission including the names of 800 people who wanted to travel to the West Bank to celebrate Christmas, but the occupation rejected the names of 200 people under security pretexts. 

Israel's prohibition of Gaza Christians is repeated every year with birthdays.