Global Imams Council condemns 'heinous murders' of Israeli hostages by Hamas

GIC’s over 1,400 Imams seek to spread a 'message of peaceful coexistence'

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The Global Imams Council (GIC) released a statement on Sunday condemning Hamas’ recent murder of six Israeli hostages.

“The Global Imams Council condemns in the strongest possible terms the barbaric actions of Hamas, which have resulted in the brutal execution of six innocent hostages, among them a dual American citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, in a tunnel in the Gaza city of Rafah,” the statement read.

Founded in 2018, the Global Imams Council describes itself as the “world’s first and largest international non-governmental body of Muslim religious leaders from all Islamic denominations and schools of thought.”

“We are deeply saddened and outraged by these heinous murders, which violate all principles of humanity, religious teachings, and international law,” the GIC wrote.

The group also called Hamas’ targeting of civilians “acts of unmitigated evil.”

"The targeting and brutalization of civilians, especially those who are defenseless and held against their will, are acts of unmitigated evil,” the statement said.

It further blamed the terrorist organization in Gaza for escalating the “cycle of violence” with its Oct. 7 invasion and attack and said that Hamas was “directly responsible” for the deaths of the innocent victims, both Israeli and Palestinian, in the conflict.

“We hold Hamas directly responsible for the deaths and suffering of all innocent lives lost since October 7, as their actions have not only brought death and destruction upon the region but have also led to immense suffering for the Palestinian people. Hamas' reckless and inhumane tactics, using civilians as shields and exploiting their plight, have only escalated the cycle of violence and undermined the cause of justice and peace.”

Not restricting the blame to Hamas, the GIC statement went on to state that “the regime in Iran shares equal responsibility for these tragedies,” and that “its continued support and endorsement of Hamas’s [sic] actions perpetuate violence and instability in the region.”

According to its website, the GIC’s over 1,400 Imams seek to spread a “message of peaceful coexistence, tolerance, mutual respect, and bridge-building with all religious communities.”

In 2023, the GIC was hosted by the Muslim World League in Mecca, and in 2024 it became “the first Imams Council to participate in the World Economic Forum.”

The council also made headlines in 2020 for adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.