Empty hotel rooms, deserted souvenir shops and no decorations. Normally at its busiest before and during Christmas, Bethlehem is taking a big economic hit as pilgrims and tourists avoid the Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank, under the shadow of the Israel-Hamas war and the violence that ensued. "Nowadays, Bethlehem is actually sad. No people, not even locals, actually. No tourists and no decorations, not any kind of festival around," says priest Issa Thaljieh. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES