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The fringe terror group behind murder of Bibas children

The fringe terror group behind murder of Bibas children


The extremist Salafi organization Al-Mujahedeen (“Lords of the Wilderness”) is the group that held Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, after they were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led October 7 attack. According to Israeli assessments, the group murdered them in captivity as early as November 2023.

Al-Mujahedeen was founded at the start of the Second Intifada in 2001, breaking away from Fatah. It initially operated as a faction of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades before becoming an independent militant group. The organization follows a radical Salafi ideology, which seeks to return to what it considers the fundamental roots of Islam, advocating extreme measures to achieve its goals.

The group was initially led by Omar Abu-Sharia, whom Israel attempted to eliminate in 2006. He succumbed to his injuries six months later. Over the years, Al-Mujahedeen has carried out numerous attacks and has positioned itself as a violent extremist faction within Gaza. Unlike Hamas, which governs the enclave, Al-Mujahedeen maintains a distinct identity, often aligning with global jihadist movements.

During the ongoing war in Gaza, the organization claimed to have suffered significant losses, including key members of its leadership. In April 2023, it announced the deaths of several senior operatives, including the commander of its rocket unit in central Gaza, a senior figure in the Deir al-Balah battalion, and a member of its elite unit in the same area.
After the October 7 attack, Hamas transferred some hostages to smaller armed factions, including Al-Mujahedeen. Shiri Bibas and her children were among those handed over. According to Israeli intelligence, they were held in Khan Younis before being murdered. The group falsely claimed that the Bibas family was killed in an Israeli airstrike, but IDF officials have confirmed that the children were brutally executed in captivity.

Al-Mujahedeen’s actions underscore the fragmentation of militant groups within Gaza and the brutality faced by hostages held by factions beyond Hamas itself. Israeli authorities continue to demand the return of Shiri Bibas’ body, along with all remaining hostages.



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