Huckabee told The Media Line the Bibas family became “somewhat the face of the hostages,” calling the olive tree memorial “a beautiful tribute” of remembrance and renewal.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited Moshav HaYogev in northern Israel on Thursday for a memorial ceremony honoring Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, members of the Bibas family who became among the most recognizable victims of the October 7 Hamas-led attack and the Gaza hostage crisis.
At the ceremony, held as part of the My Tree in Israel initiative, a commemorative olive tree was dedicated in memory of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir. Yarden Bibas, Shiri’s husband and the boys’ father, attended the event with his sister, Ofri Bibas.
Yarden Bibas thanked the donor who chose to commemorate his family through the adoption of a memorial tree. He also expressed gratitude to Huckabee and President Donald Trump for their efforts in helping secure the release of hostages.
Yarden Bibas speaks at a memorial ceremony honoring Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, at Moshav HaYogev in northern Israel, July 9, 2026. (Courtesy)
Huckabee met with Bibas during the visit and conveyed his sorrow over the family’s loss. He said people around the world had prayed for Yarden, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir, and said the Hamas-led attacks of October 7 and Israel’s ordeal since then must not fade from memory.
“The world must never forget October 7,” Huckabee said.
Asked by The Media Line whether the world had begun to forget October 7 and whether the memorial could help carry forward the memory of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, Huckabee said the family had become “somewhat the face of the hostages” because of the cruelty of their story: A father taken captive with his wife and two children survived months in captivity, only to learn after his release that they had been murdered by Hamas.
“I think it was just a gut punch to every single person who heard about it,” Huckabee said.
He said the olive tree offered a living form of remembrance, one tied not only to grief but also to continuity. “To be able to know that there is an olive tree that is producing ongoing fruit and providing life in the future, it’s really a beautiful tribute to the Bibas family,” Huckabee said.
The ceremony also included a meeting with Avi Harush, the father of Riff Harush, an Israeli commando soldier killed in Gaza in April 2024. Harush presented Huckabee and his wife with the olive tree planted in memory of his son. He showed them photographs and described his regular visits to the site, saying the tree gives him a sense of closeness and comfort.
During the visit, Kobi Assaf, CEO of My Tree in Israel, hosted Huckabee and his family at what the initiative describes as the largest olive press in the Middle East. They toured the facility and learned about the olive oil production process.
Huckabee has been a longtime supporter of My Tree in Israel. After becoming US ambassador to Israel, he updated the plaque on his adopted tree from “Governor Huckabee” to “Ambassador Huckabee.” He also adopted another tree in honor of his daughter, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
According to the initiative, Huckabee buys bottles of olive oil from the project each year as personal holiday gifts for friends.
My Tree in Israel allows supporters of Israel abroad to adopt olive trees, grapevines, or shares in whisky barrels. The project says it supports Israeli farmers and the local economy while giving participants a personal link to the land through visits to adopted plots and annual shipments of locally produced goods.
