NYC Mayor Accused of 'Antisemitic Blood Libels' After Gaza Comments

New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani ignited controversy on Wednesday, the third anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks, by posting that the suffering did not begin or end on that day. Instead, he stated, it has continued through what he described as Israel's "devastating and ongoing genocide" in Gaza, which he claims has killed over 74,000 Palestinians, including more than 21,000 children. Mamdani began his statement by acknowledging the pain of October 7th, calling them "horrific war crimes" in which Hamas killed over 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251. He expressed solidarity with New Yorkers who are still grieving.

However, Mamdani then accused Israel of genocide and stated that even since a supposed ceasefire, over 1,400 Palestinians have been killed. He detailed this suffering, citing Israeli bombs on ambulances, drone strikes on residential buildings and journalists, and the rejection of aid shipments. He concluded by urging New Yorkers to reject a world of "occupation and apartheid" and to fight for a world where all can live in freedom, security, and dignity, criticizing the U.S. federal government's continued arms shipments.

In response, Ofir Akunis, Israel's Consul in New York, condemned Mamdani's remarks as "antisemitic blood libels" and a disgrace to the city. Akunis stated that Mamdani's insensitivity on the anniversary of the massacre, during which "human monsters" murdered, abducted, and raped hundreds, was shameful. He invited Mamdani to a screening of a film documenting the atrocities to witness firsthand the "human monsters" he supports.