The top Catholic leader in the Holy Land visited the Gaza Strip’s only Catholic church on Friday to share a message of Christmas hope and support as conditions in the war-torn territory slowly improve while the Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds into its third month.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was greeted by children in Santa hats and keffiyeh — the checkered headscarf that's a global symbol of Palestinian nationalism — in the courtyard of the church compound, which was gaily decorated with twinkling lights and Christmas ornaments.
