Hamas slams Israel for stopping Gaza Christians from travelling to holy sites for Christmas

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has condemned Israel for preventing Christians living in Gaza from visiting their holy places in Jerusalem and Bethlehem for Christmas.

In a statement released Thursday, Hamas called Israel’s refusal to allow Gaza Christians to leave the besieged enclave "a flagrant violation of their right to practice their religion and visit their places of worship".

"Regarding these violations and racist practices which are repeated every year, we call on the United Nations, the international community, and rights organisations to take responsibility and stop these violations against our Christian citizens and places of worship," the statement added.

This year, Israel stopped 200 Christians from going to Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Bethlehem to take part in Christmas celebrations, citing "security concerns", according to Kamel Ayad, a spokesman for the Orthodox Church in Gaza.

Annually, tens of thousands of people from across the world travel to Bethlehem and Jerusalem, where Christianity’s most sacred sites are located, to celebrate Christmas.

Approximately 1,600 Palestinian Christians live in the Gaza Strip, which has been ruled by Hamas since it took over the territory in 2007 following a conflict with rival Palestinian movement Fatah.

Israel has imposed a crippling siege on the territory, denying Palestinians essential goods, plunging tens of thousands of people into poverty, and making exit from the territory difficult for residents.