There were no Christmas trees or decorations at the Church of the Nativity, revered as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem on Tuesday, and there was no festive cheer.

In downtown Bethlehem, Terra Sancta Scouts wore red scarves and marched along the main shopping street, where vendors sold nougat and shawarma.

The sweet sounds of children singing Christmas carols filled the air, contrasting with the somber messages on the banners they held: “We want life, not death” and “Stop the Gaza genocide now!”

Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations were overshadowed by war for the second year in a row.

A huge Christmas tree usually stands in Manger Square, opposite the Church of the Nativity. The church is built on the top of a cave. Christians believe that Jesus was born here more than 2,000 years ago.

But like last year, Bethlehem’s city government decided to opt for modest celebrations to respect the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

For Christians in the Holy Land, of which there are approximately 185,000 Christians in Israel and 47,000 in Palestine, prayer can bring comfort and hope for a better future.

“We will pray and ask God to end our suffering and bring to this part of the world the peace we desire, the peace that Jesus brought to the world,” Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman said.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who celebrated Mass in Gaza on Sunday, shared a similar message of hope as he prepared to celebrate Midnight Mass in Bethlehem.

“I just arrived from Gaza yesterday. I saw everything destroyed, poverty, disaster,” he said.

“But I also see life – they don’t give up. So you shouldn’t give up either. Never,” Pisabala added during a speech outside the Bethlehem Peace Center, a cultural venue.

“We are stronger, we belong to the light, not the darkness,” he said, standing next to the Palestinian flag. “Next year, we hope to see the largest Christmas tree ever built.”