French-Tunisian imam Hassen Chalghoumi said in a July 19, 2025 interview on Al-Arabiya Network (Saudi Arabia) that some, including Egypt's Al-Azhar University, have criticized the delegation he led to Israel that comprised of European imams. 

He said that his response is that he is following in the footsteps of Al-Azhar itself by pursuing peace with Israel. Chalghoumi laid the blame for all the "atrocities and crimes" in Gaza, in addition to the massive unemployment now that many people cannot work in Israel, at the feet of Hamas, which he criticized for preparing tunnels for itself alone.

Interviewer: "Some have strongly criticized the visit [of European imams' delegation to Israel]. Al-Azhar, for example, wrote that 'those who present themselves as European imams,' led by you, and your meetings and statements... Al-Azhar referred to it as 'dubious and despicable rhetoric,' and so on. What is your response to this statement by Al-Azhar?"