The minor community of Christians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip Saturday lit a huge Christmas tree at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Gaza City to celebrated the holiday.

As cheerful music played, a huge Christmas tree was lit with crowds of Christians and Muslims gathering at the yard of the YMCA, cheering and clapping.

Leaders of the Christian community in the impoverished and besieged coastal enclave attended the event, with some children dressed in Santa Claus costume.

Before Hamas violently seized the control of the Gaza Strip and routed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas security forces in 2007, the number of Christians in the coastal enclave was around 4,000. Gaza Strip's total population is around 2 million.

However, the number has decreased after Israel waged three large-scale military air and ground offensives on the Gaza Strip in 2008, 2012 and 2014.

Around 1,000 Christians remained in the Gaza Strip, community leaders said, adding that Israel provided around 350 permissions for Christians to go to the West Bank city of Bethlehem and Jerusalem to celebrate Christmas on December 24. 

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