Arab-Israeli group Atidna condemns Hamas for Bibas family murders

'We will declare in one united voice: No to terror, no to murder, yes to life and humanity,' Atidna said, urging the Arab community to join the Bibas funeral and collectively oppose Hamas' crimes.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF FEBRUARY 23, 2025 21:56 Updated: FEBRUARY 23, 2025 22:07

A delegation of Israeli Arabs from Atidna spent 11 days in December 2023 in Germany raising awareness about Hamas as a terrorist movement and the values of a multi-religious democratic Jewish state. (photo credit: ATIDNA)

The Atidna movement, representing Arab citizens of Israel, strongly condemned Hamas on Sunday for the brutal murders of Shiri Bibas and her two children, calling the crime "an act of barbarism that has no justification."

"This crime once again reveals the true face of this terrorist movement, which violates any human or moral values," the movement said in a statement.

Atidna, founded in 2018, is a coalition of Arab citizens of Israel and Jews from the National-Zionist camp, committed to fostering Arab-Jewish partnership, mutual respect, and civil equality within Israel. The organization promotes leadership among youth and students, empowerment programs, and initiatives aimed at integrating Arab citizens into Israeli society, including participation in the high-tech industry and higher education.

The movement further criticized Hamas for staging what it described as "shameful hostage release ceremonies," accusing the group of sensationalizing the suffering of innocent civilians taken captive.

"These abhorrent crimes not only harm their direct victims but will also have severe consequences for the residents of Gaza themselves," the movement warned. "Hamas' continued barbaric policies will only deepen the suffering of Gaza’s population, worsen their international standing, increase their isolation, and further complicate any possibility of achieving a better future."

Atidna called upon Arab Israeli political leaders to unequivocally denounce Hamas' terrorist actions and emphasized that silence was unacceptable.

"At such a crucial moment, silence is not an option—our duty as leaders and as a society is to speak out clearly and firmly against murder and terror," the statement read.

Representatives participated in the Bibas funeral procession

Representatives from the Atidna movement confirmed they would participate in the funeral procession for the Bibas family as an expression of solidarity and a clear moral stance against violence.

"We will declare in one united voice: No to terror, no to murder, yes to life and humanity," Atidna said, urging all members of the Arab community to join the funeral to demonstrate collective opposition to Hamas' crimes.

The statement concluded with a demand for Hamas to "immediately release all the hostages it holds and cease using civilians as bargaining chips," asserting that any public silence on the matter equates to tacit support for Hamas.