Gaza’s Holy Family Church receives $25,000 donation from American Jewish Committee

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has announced that it will donate $25,000 toward repairs for the Holy Family Church in Gaza that was damaged on 17 July by what the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) described as a mortar that went astray.

In addition to damaging the only Catholic church in the conflict zone, the strike left three dead and reportedly 15 wounded, including the parish priest.

“We are deeply saddened by the deaths, injuries and structural damage at the Holy Family Church in Gaza and stand in solidarity with our Catholic brothers and sisters,” AJC CEO Ted Deutch said in a press release.

“We pray for the full recovery of the injured and the safety of all peoples affected by the devastation of war."

The AJC said that the funds will be distributed to the Gaza parish through the Archdiocese of New York, with the help of Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

“We appreciate AJC’s expression of consolation and support and are thankful for the opportunity to do good as Jews and Catholics together in this way, to bring some light to the darkness of war,” Cardinal Dolan is quoted as saying in the press release.

The AJC expressed its thanks to "our dear friend" Cardinal Dolan, the Archdiocese of New York and the Catholic Near East Welfare Association for their help “in enabling AJC to do what is right and consistent with Jewish values".

Referring to the strike on the church, Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC's director of inter-religious affairs, said: “In the wake of this tragedy, we want to be there for Catholic partners who have been there for the Jewish people in our times of need. Together, as Christians and Jews, we can affirm the shared humanity of all."

The Jewish advocacy group notes that the archdiocese was part of an inter-religious coalition that donated funds to help rebuild a home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza after the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel in 2023.

The IDF on 23 July announced that a “deviation of munitions” was the reason for the unintended strike on the Holy Family Church on 17 July. The church has served as a shelter for more than 600 people since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023, housing mainly Catholics, but also Orthodox Christians and Muslims.

Following an inquiry by the IDF, in a 23 July statement, military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said the inquiry had found that the church was "accidentally" struck “due to an unintentional deviation of munitions", which was specified to be a mortar round.

AJC describes itself as the global advocacy organisation for the Jewish people. It is headquartered in New York, with 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organisations worldwide.

It says its mission is “to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world”.

Photo: People attend a Sunday morning Mass led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Holy Family in Gaza City, 20 July 2025. (Photo by OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images.)

‍