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<\/a><\/p>\nWorshippers attend a Sunday morning mass led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa at the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City on July 20, 2025. (Photo by Omar Al-Qattaa\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The donation is notable because it marks a rare if not unprecedented donation by a mainstream U.S. Jewish group toward Gaza Palestinians while Israel is at war in the enclave. It also responds to damage caused by Israel\u2019s operations, which the AJC and other major Jewish groups have refrained from criticizing.<\/p>\n
The damage to Holy Family drew widespread condemnation last month, with critics of Israel alleging that its army was attacking Christians in Gaza and that it had destroyed the enclave\u2019s only Catholic church. The pope lamented the incident, in which three people were killed and others injured.<\/p>\n
It soon became clear that while there was damage to the church during the July 17 incident, it was not destroyed. Israel said the damage was caused by \u201cstray ammunition\u201d from a nearby operation and the church was not targeted.<\/p>\n
The AJC\u2019s announcement of the donation notes Israel\u2019s explanation and says the organization was seeking to demonstrate that the Jewish-Catholic alliance, which the group has sought to nurture for decades, can withstand the war.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 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,\u201d the AJC\u2019s director of interreligious affairs, Rabbi Noam Marans, said in a statement. \u201cTogether, as Christians and Jews, we can affirm the shared humanity of all.\u201d<\/p>\n