NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces a growing firestorm after revelations that his wife, Rama Duwaji, allegedly liked Instagram posts celebrating Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel—a massacre the mayor himself condemned as a “horrific war crime” during his campaign.
Story Snapshot
- Rama Duwaji, Mamdani’s wife and NYC’s First Lady, allegedly liked posts celebrating Hamas’s October 7 attack, calling it “breaking the walls of apartheid” and showing captured Israeli military vehicles
- Additional likes included a post denying documented Hamas sexual violence as a “mass rape hoax” and praising pro-Palestinian protests in Times Square
- The revelations expose a stark contradiction between Mamdani’s public condemnation of Hamas as a “terrorist organization” and his wife’s apparent endorsement of extremist views
- NYC Councilmember Inna Vernikov criticized mainstream media for ignoring this story while aggressively covering similar controversies involving other politicians’ spouses
Celebrating Terrorism While Hamas Attacked Israel
Rama Duwaji allegedly liked Instagram posts on October 7, 2023, the very day Hamas terrorists murdered approximately 1,200 Israelis, wounded thousands more, and kidnapped 251 hostages in a coordinated assault that included documented sexual violence against women. Posts from The Slow Factory showed Palestinians breaching Israel’s border and riding captured Israeli Defense Forces vehicles with captions reading “Resisting apartheid since 1948.” The timing demonstrates either shocking insensitivity or deliberate support for terrorism as Jewish families faced unspeakable atrocities. This isn’t political commentary—it’s celebrating mass murder in real time.
Denying Rape and Supporting Radical Protests
Duwaji’s social media activity extended beyond October 7. She allegedly liked a post calling documented reports of Hamas sexual violence a “hoax” fabricated by The New York Times, despite overwhelming evidence from survivors, witnesses, and forensic investigators. On October 8, she liked posts from People’s Forum and Democratic Socialists of America protests in Times Square justifying “resistance” with slogans like “from the river to the sea,” a phrase widely recognized as calling for Israel’s elimination. Additional likes included praise for Columbia University occupations that disrupted campus life and made Jewish students feel unsafe. This pattern reveals consistent endorsement of extremist anti-Israel narratives.
Hypocrisy at Gracie Mansion
Mayor Mamdani publicly condemned Hamas as a “terrorist organization” throughout his 2025 campaign, criticizing even a Democratic Socialists of America rally for “making light” of the October 7 massacre. Yet his then-girlfriend Duwaji, whom he married in early 2025, was liking posts from that very rally. When confronted at a January 12, 2026, press conference at Gracie Mansion, Mamdani defended her as “the love of my life” and a “private person,” refusing to address the substance. City Hall spokespeople reiterated his Hamas condemnation without explaining his wife’s actions. The double standard is glaring: he demands public accountability while shielding his household from scrutiny.
Media Bias and Political Fallout
NYC Councilmember Inna Vernikov, a Jewish Republican, highlighted how outlets like The New York Times aggressively investigated Representative Dan Goldman’s wife for liking anti-Palestinian posts but ignored Duwaji’s far more inflammatory activity. Jewish Insider broke the story in early March 2026, followed by The Free Press, Times of Israel, and Fox News—mostly conservative-leaning or Jewish community outlets. Mainstream media silence underscores the frustrating double standard conservatives have witnessed for years: leftist politicians receive protection while others face relentless attack. For NYC’s Jewish community, already traumatized by rising antisemitism and post-October 7 hostility, Mamdani’s inability to distance himself from extremism poses serious concerns about his administration’s priorities and values moving forward.
Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist with a history of posting political illustrations criticizing Israel, has not responded to media inquiries. No formal investigations have been announced, though the controversy pressures Mamdani politically as he navigates NYC’s polarized Israel-Palestine discourse. This incident amplifies broader concerns about Democratic Socialists tolerating antisemitism within their ranks under the guise of progressive activism. Voters deserve leaders whose households reflect the values they claim to uphold—not hypocrisy hidden behind claims of privacy when terrorism is celebrated.
Sources:
Mamdani’s wife liked posts celebrating Oct. 7 – The Times of Israel
Zohran Mamdani’s wife liked social media posts celebrating Oct. 7 attacks – Jewish Insider
