Christians in the besieged Gaza Strip observed Good Friday amid continued deadly Israeli violations of the ceasefire, with dozens attending mass at the Church of the Holy Family.
A member of the Board of Trustees of the Orthodox Church in Gaza , Elias al-Jalda, said that the religious holiday comes amid suffering and dire conditions caused by Israel’s attacks.
"The Palestinian people continue to be tortured and crucified, we call upon the conscience of every free person to work to stop this senseless war," he said.
"Palestinians have the right to live a normal life, like all other people of the world," he added, drawing parallels between Gaza’s Christians and the hardships faced by their ancestors, prophets, and saints.
Last week during Palm Sunday, Catholic Christians in Gaza also gathered at the Holy Family Church to pray for the end to the war.
During the service, Father Gabriel Romanelli, said: "We’re asking to the Lord to give us peace, justice, and the possibility to continue to live, especially for the people, the Palestinian people, in Gaza, to continue to live".
He added that before the war there was 1,017 Christians living in Gaza. Now, there are only an estimated 600 Christians in the devastated territory, who seek shelter across three churches.
Despite the ceasefire agreed in October, Israel has continued to launch attacks on Palestinians and demolish buildings across the enclave.
The continued Israeli attacks in Gaza and hardship caused by Israel's sieges come amid the continued shuttering of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem - one of the holiest sites in the Christian faith - by Israel
The church was closed on 28 February, with no senior religious leaders allowed to enter it on Palm Sunday, marking the first time in centuries that senior church leaders were prevented from entering.
A statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of The Holy Land called the closure of the site a "grave precedent" and one that disregards "the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem".
Several countries have denounced the closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, including Italy, France, and Spain.
Christians in the occupied West Bank are also facing restrictions during the Easter holidays, as Israel tightens security amid its war on Iran.
Palestinian Lutheran minister Reverand Dr Munther Isaac told reporters that the restrictions are just a small part of the crackdown on all life and religions in the occupied West Bank.
"…We avoid travelling out of fear — what will happen at the checkpoint, or on the roads that settlers control or have access to?" he said, referring to Christians attending mass.