Christians in the Gaza Strip will not be allowed to visit holy sites such as Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas this year, Israeli authorities said on Thursday.

Church leaders in Jerusalem are appealing to Israeli authorities to reverse the decision to prohibit the Christmastime travel permits that usually allow a few hundred Christians from the Gaza Strip to visit Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem.

Gaza Christians are allowed travel abroad but not to Israel and the West Bank.

Wadie Abu Nassar, an adviser to local church leaders, criticized the policy.

“Other people around the world are allowed to travel to Bethlehem. We think Gaza’s Christians should have that right, too,” he told Reuters.

One Gaza woman lamented the decision.

“Every year I pray they will give me a permit so I can celebrate Christmas and see my family,” Randa El-Amash, 50, told Reuters. “It will be more joyful to celebrate in Bethlehem and in Jerusalem.”