Muslim leaders pay condolence call to family of slain Israeli hostages

Moroccan sheikh and Israeli Arab imams join interfaith delegation paying a condolence call to the Bibas family mourning the murders of Shiri Bibas and her sons Kfir and Ariel.

By World Israel News Staff

An interfaith delegation of rabbis, imams, and sheikhs from across Israel, along with Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abidu from Morocco, arrived in Kfar Maccabiah on Sunday to console the Bibas family following the return of the bodies of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, who were brutally murdered in Hamas captivity.

The visit was initiated by the Religious Communities Division of the Israeli Ministry of the Interior, the Ohr Torah Interfaith Center, the Interfaith Leadership Forum in Israel, the Druze Religious Council, and additional faith leaders including rabbis from the Chief Rabbinate Council.

The delegation came together to offer condolences, standing in solidarity with the bereaved family and denouncing the horrific violence that claimed their loved ones.

“The Interfaith Leaders Forum in Israel stands in deep solidarity with the Bibas family in their immense grief,” said Sheikh Younes Amasha, chairperson of the Interfaith Leaders Forum.

“We call on world leaders to do everything in their power to secure the safe return of all remaining hostages and to work toward ending this cycle of violence. Peace and security are fundamental values in every faith, and we urge all to uphold them with unwavering commitment.”

“Today, we stood together—rabbis, imams, and sheikhs—united in grief and solidarity with the Bibas family,” said Rabbi Aharon Ariel Lavi, Managing Director of the Ohr Torah Interfaith Center.

“This visit was not just about offering condolences, but about reaffirming our shared humanity and the belief that no family should endure such pain. Our faiths may differ, but our commitment to compassion and justice binds us together.”

Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abidu, who traveled from Morocco to participate in the delegation, emphasized the shared values of peace and dignity across faiths.

“I came from Morocco to join my brothers in faith in expressing our deepest sorrow and support for the Bibas family. Islam teaches us the sanctity of life, and what happened here is a tragedy for all humanity. We stand together in mourning, and we pray for a future of peace and understanding between all peoples.”

Iyad Sirkhan, Director of the Division for Religious Communities at the Ministry of the Interior, added” “The presence of so many religious leaders here today underscores our shared responsibility to stand against evil and to offer comfort where we can. This tragedy touches us all, and we remain committed to strengthening the bonds between our communities in pursuit of a more just and compassionate society.”

Shiri Bibas, her husband Yarden, and the couple’s two sons were abducted by Gazan terrorists on October 7^th, 2023.

While Yarden was returned to Israel alive on February 1^st, 2025, the remains of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were returned to Israel weeks later.

Forensic analysis of the bodies suggested that the three were murdered in captivity in November 2023, contradicting Hamas’ claim that they were killed by an IDF airstrike.

Israeli officials stated that the Bibas children were apparently killed with “bare hands,” and that their skulls were later crushed in such a way to make it appear as if they had been killed by rubble from an airstrike.