Number of Christians in Gaza decreased from 7000 to 1000 since Hamas took control in 2007
Headline: “Leaving the Gaza Strip and visiting Bethlehem in the holiday season – a double blessing for Milad Ayyad”
“The last time Milad Ayyad left the Gaza Strip he was 10 years old. This year [2021], his Christmas present was unexpected: He received a permit to visit Bethlehem...
Ayyad is one of 500 Christians from the Gaza Strip who were allowed to visit the site of the birth of Jesus, peace be upon him.
The young man explained that he cannot count the times he attempted to receive an exit permit from the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli blockade for approximately 15 years…
[Ayyad], a student of modern history, said: ‘The celebrations in Bethlehem, the city of peace, are special,’ and added: ‘They cannot be compared to the celebrations in the Gaza Strip, which take place behind the church walls with a small Mass and a small group of spectators.’
The number of Christians in the Gaza Strip has been decreasing for years, as many of them have emigrated, especially after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 (see note below -Ed.). According to the local church, this has caused a drop in the number of Christians in the Gaza Strip from 7,000 to just 1,000…
The biggest challenge for Milad was to convince his father that he could leave for this journey alone…
For his father, crossing into Israel connects in his mind with the images of the soldiers who shoot civilians. Therefore, he fears the same thing will befall his son…
Convincing [Milad’s father] Abu Rimoun that the journey was safe required a collective effort and the intervention of one of the neighbors. The aforementioned neighbor explained that as long as Milad has a permit, there would be no danger to his life.
On the day of the great journey, Milad – who did not remember if he had met an Israeli in the past – looked at the signs directing towards the Israeli cities. While wearing a heavy coat that would protect him from ‘the cold of Bethlehem,’ he looked in wonder at the green territories on both sides of the road and said: ‘There are no forests like this in the Gaza Strip.’”
2007 Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip - Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah won the 2005 Palestinian Authority Presidential election. However, Hamas won the 2006 parliamentary elections in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank, with a majority of 74 out of 132 seats, to Fatah's 45 seats. Fatah's rule of the PA Presidency and Hamas' rule of the PA government led to friction and eventually armed conflict between Hamas and Fatah. Hamas defeated Fatah militarily in the Gaza Strip in 2007, and since then Hamas has ruled in Gaza while the PA continues to rule the PA areas in the West Bank under Fatah.