NYC Mayor Accuses Israel of War Crimes on Oct. 7 Anniversary

On the anniversary of the October 7th massacre, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement calling the day "laden with deep pain for the city's residents." He acknowledged that over 1,100 Israelis were murdered and 251 were taken hostage on that day, stating, "We mourn alongside our many friends and neighbors who still carry the loss."

Mamdani dedicated most of his statement to criticizing the war that followed the massacre. "The suffering did not begin on the day of the massacre, nor did it end with it. Instead, it continued through the devastating and ongoing atrocities of the Israeli government in Gaza, in which more than 74,000 Palestinians, including more than 21,000 children, have been killed," the mayor wrote. He further claimed, "This suffering was amplified with every Israeli bomb dropped on ambulances waiting outside hospitals, with every drone strike aimed at a residential building or journalist, and with every shipment of food aid whose entry into Gaza was delayed."

Mamdani accused Israel of occupation and apartheid, asserting, "We must refuse to accept a reality where this continues, and where war crimes go unpunished." He is scheduled to meet with Palestinian New Yorkers later in the day as part of his October 7th events. At 7:00 PM Israel time, he is expected to participate in a "Vigil in Remembrance of October 7th," and at 9:00 PM, he will meet with "Palestinian New Yorkers."