[CBC뉴스] 크리스마스와 새해를 테마로 한 케이크에 마지막 손질을 마친 팔레스타인 주방장 아흐마드 알 바타 씨가 말했다. "우리는 집에서 보낸 2021년 기념일을 특별하게 만들고 싶었습니다"
알 바타는 크리스마스 트리나 산타 클로스, 눈사람 모양의 케이크를 통해 가자 지구에 있는 기독교인들에게 기쁨을 주고자 한다면서, 그의 가게에는 고객 외에도, 그의 창작품 옆에 셀카를 찍기를 원하는 사람들이 방문했다고 밝혔다.
"We wanted to make the 2021 celebrations spent at home special", Palestinian chef, Ahmad al-Batta, said from his kitchen in Gaza after applying the last touches on a series of Christmas and New Year-themed cakes.
Al-Batta said he is eager to bring joy to Christians in Gaza through his cakes in the shape of a Christmas tree, Santa Claus or a snowman, adding that besides attracting customers, his store was also visited by people who wished to take selfies next to his creations.
Orthodox Christians in Gaza, who will celebrate Christmas on January 7 and New Year a week later, will do so at home this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Gaza Christians cannot make their usual Christmas trips to Bethlehem this year due to increased COVID-19 travel restrictions imposed by Israel - which has for years imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip citing security concerns about Hamas - and Palestinian curbs on movement to prevent the spread of infection.
While around 1% of the population of the Palestinian Territories as a whole are Christian, the percentage is small in Gaza, where there are around 1,000 mostly Greek Orthodox Christians among nearly 2 million Muslims.
According to the Palestinian ministry of health, 43,134 cases of coronavirus infections, including 404 deaths, were so far recorded in Gaza.
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