Mamdani distances City Hall from wife’s social media likes appearing to praise October 7

Text over the images described the attack as “breaking the walls of apartheid and military occupation” and “resisting apartheid since 1948,” with the slogan “systemic change for collective liberation”. The caption stated that “over half of the population of Gaza are children” and warned that if Israeli forces retaliated, civilians would be “punished for wanting freedom from apartheid”.

Duwaji liked the post from a personal Instagram account under her name that features artwork and political illustrations. Mamdani has interacted with the account.

She also liked a post from a demonstration organised by The People’s Forum in Times Square on October 8, 2023. The caption read: “Thousands have taken to the streets in NYC to stand with Palestinian resistance and call for an end to all US aid to apartheid Israel.”

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji attend his public inauguration ceremony, January 1, 2026 (Credit: TIMOTHY A.CLARY / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images

At the time, Mamdani, then a member of the New York State Assembly, criticised the rally for “making light” of Hamas’s killing of civilians.

A City Hall spokesperson said the mayor has consistently condemned the attacks.

“Mayor Mamdani has been clear and consistent: Hamas is a terrorist organisation, October 7 was a horrific war crime and he has condemned that violence unequivocally,” the spokesperson told Jewish Insider.

Reacting to the report, Rabbi Steven Burg, CEO of Aish, wrote on social media that Duwaji’s actions reflected support for Hamas and stated that the situation was “not a good look for the mayor”.