NYC Mayor Accuses Israel of Genocide and Apartheid on Oct. 7 Anniversary

On the third anniversary of the Hamas attack, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement on Wednesday, October 7, accusing Israel of "devastating genocide" and "apartheid." Mamdani stated that the "suffering did not begin or end on that day." He acknowledged the pain felt by many New Yorkers due to the "horrific war crimes" of October 7, when Hamas killed over 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251. However, he immediately pivoted, asserting that suffering continues "because of the devastating and ongoing genocide" by the Israeli government in Gaza, which he claimed has killed over 74,000 Palestinians, including more than 21,000 children. He further alleged that over 1,400 Palestinians have died even since a ceasefire.

Mamdani, known for his anti-Israel stance, directly accused Israel of war crimes, citing Israeli bombings of ambulances, drone strikes on residential buildings and journalists, and the withholding of food aid. He stated that "our tax dollars are funding these war crimes." The mayor concluded with accusations of "Zionists" perpetuating "bloody occupation and apartheid," calling for an end to impunity for war crimes and for the U.S. government to cease arms shipments to Israel. He urged a fight for a world where everyone can live in freedom, safety, and dignity.

This statement echoed one Mamdani made in 2025, where he condemned Hamas's "terrible war crime" but then accused Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government of a "killing war" amounting to genocide, citing over 67,000 deaths and U.S. complicity. In contrast, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul posted a message remembering the "massacre" by Hamas as the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, emphasizing resilience and praying for lasting peace.

Mamdani was scheduled to attend a rally on Union Square organized by "Israelis for Peace" on the evening of October 7, described as an event of "quiet unity and mourning." Simultaneously, pro-Arab organizations planned protests and strikes on campuses, accusing the mayor of "betraying his values" and "capitulating to Zionist pressure." Following the rally, Mamdani was to meet with "Palestinian residents of the city," an effort to navigate polarized communities. This marks Mamdani's second consecutive year participating in such a ceremony. His initial statement after the 2023 attacks notably omitted condemnation of Hamas, focusing instead on Israel's response, though he later condemned civilian killings and eventually Hamas itself.

Separately, in London, masked protesters with Iranian and Palestinian flags demonstrated outside the offices of the Jewish Representative Council in Camden, chanting "Stop killing babies" and accusing the organization of genocide denial and acting as a "mouthpiece for Israel."