NYC mayoral candidate Mamdani backtracks on Hamas arms position at debate

Socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani appeared to backtrack on his position about Hamas laying down their arms in Thursday night’s mayoral debate.

“Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms,” Mamdani said on the debate stage in New York City alongside former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani was responding to a question from a moderator who said his previous answer, made to Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum, was “confusing,” after he dodged questions when she asked if he believes Hamas should lay down their weapons and leave leadership in Gaza, according to the cease-fire agreement they entered into. 

“I don’t really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the question of justice and safety,” Mamdani said, reiterating that both Hamas and the Israeli military should abide by international law. 

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“I’m proud to be one of the first elected officials in the state who called for a cease-fire and calling for a cease-fire means cease fire,” Mamdani said on the debate stage on Thursday. 

“That means all parties have to cease fire and put down their weapons. And the reason that we call for that is not only for the end of the genocide, but also an unimpeded access of humanitarian aid. I, like many New Yorkers, and I’m hopeful that this cease fire will hold.”

Mamdani went on to say that he hopes President Trump’s negotiated ceasefire is “durable” and “just.”

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Shortly after Mamdani’s response, social media accounts labeled his comments as a “new answer.”

In Mamdani’s Fox News interview on Wednesday, he said it was too early to give credit to Trump for the peace agreement.

Republican Curtis Sliwa, the only candidate to mention Trump by name in his response to news of the Israeli hostages being released, took issue with that stance on the debate stage.

“The President of the United States should have been applauded by you, Zohran Mamdani and you, Andrew Cuomo,” Sliwa said. 

Mamdani has been widely criticized in recent months for his positions on Israel, including his hesitancy to definitively condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.”

“I want to be very clear,” Mamdani said on the debate stage. “The occupation is a reference to international law and the violation of it, which Mr. Cuomo has no regard for since he signed up to be Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal defense team during the course of this genocide.”