As we approach 2025, Israel continues to bomb, attack, and occupy the birthplace of Christmas. This year, church officials have shared that Christmas services across Palestine will be somber and highlight the call to end Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Experts are even warning that Israel’s genocide against Palestinians could lead to the elimination of the Palestinian Christians in the Gaza Strip. Before the genocide, there were between 1,000 - 1,700 Palestinian Christians in Gaza. Following Israel’s relentless attacks, less than 600 Palestinian Christians remain.  Over the past year, Israel has destroyed the homes of nearly every Palestinian Christian family in Gaza. The majority of the Palestinian Christians continue to take shelter in the Holy Family Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, both in Gaza City.  Israel has repeatedly bombed both churches.

In this episode, Diana Buttu spoke with Rev. Dr. Isaac about Israel’s increasing attacks on the Palestinian Christian community throughout all of Palestine, including the West Bank and Gaza. They discussed how these attacks are a part of Israel’s broader genocidal campaign and objective to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their land.

In a recent interview, Rev. Isaac said Israel has created “completely unlivable” conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank. He also posted a photo of the Israeli army building an additional checkpoint cutting off the city of Bethlehem from other key Palestinian cities. He described the photo with the caption: “Another gate installed by the Israeli military at the entrance of our town (and on the way to my kids' school). Bethlehem - like the rest of the West Bank - has become a parcel of isolated fragmented areas. “Oh little town of Bethlehem” is “Oh little besieged Bethlehem.”

Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org.

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Can you imagine being used as a human shield? In this episode of “This is Palestine,” we hear the horrifying testimony of “Walid,” a Palestinian doctor in Gaza who was kidnapped by the Israeli military and used as a human shield.Host Diana Buttu breaks down Israel’s long-held policy of using Palestinians as human shields as she shares the terrifying testimony of Walid.

You will hear Walid explain the frightening experience of being a doctor in Al-Shifa hospital and being taken by Israeli soldiers only to endure a nightmare. Ms. Buttu also describes how Israel has intensified its policy of human shields since its genocide against the Palestinian people in both the West Bank and Gaza.

Recent reports even detail disturbing accounts of Israeli soldiers using entire Palestinian families with children and elderly as human shields and Israeli soldiers strapping a Palestinian man to a military jeep to use as a human shield.Listen to this episode to uplift  Walid’s story and learn more about this urgent abuse Israel is subjecting Palestinians to. Be sure to also read Ms. Buttu’s new article about Israel’s abusive human shield policy in Zeteo, Israel Forced Him to Become a 'Human Shield'.This episode includes distressing content by some. Please listen with care.

Thank you for tuning into This is Palestine, the official podcast of The IMEU! For more stories and resources, visit us at imeu.org.

Stay connected with us: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimeu/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theIMEU
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theIMEU/

For more insights, follow our host, Diana Buttu, on: 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianabuttu