New York City Mayor Mamdani Reiterates Statement on Israel and Gaza Amid Backlash

<p>New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reiterated his October 7 statement accusing Israel of carrying out a "genocide" in Gaza on Thursday. The statement was made during a press event where reporters inquired about reactions from the Jewish community regarding his remarks on the anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks.</p><p>When asked if he believed he had inflamed tensions, Mamdani responded, "I believe that there must be room to mourn every single life." He emphasized the need to mourn the more than 1,100 lives lost during the attacks three years ago and the 74,000 Palestinians he claims have died since due to Israeli actions.</p><p>Mamdani stated that the vigil he attended included testimonies from those affected by the violence on that day and the ongoing conflict. He accused the Israeli government of using the October 7 attacks as justification for what he termed a genocide.</p><p>He did not indicate any intention to amend his previous statements, maintaining that the focus on Palestinian deaths is warranted due to the ongoing nature of the conflict. In his earlier statement, he condemned Hamas’ attack as a "horrific war crime" while labeling Israel’s military response as genocide.</p><p>Israel has denied allegations of genocide, asserting that its military operations target Hamas and other terrorist groups while attempting to minimize civilian casualties. Mamdani's comments have drawn bipartisan criticism, including from Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., who described them as "egregious and insulting," arguing that the focus should remain on the terror attack itself rather than assigning blame to Israelis.</p>