Ofir Akunis, Israel’s consul general in New York, again invited New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to watch footage of the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, after the mayor’s statement marking the attack’s third anniversary drew criticism for focusing on Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“The mayor’s statement is a disgrace, shame, and insult to the memory of those who were murdered on Oct. 7,” Akunis stated on Wednesday. “It is still not too late to attend our screening this evening of the Oct. 7 footage and see with your own eyes, for the first time, the monsters you support.”
Akunis first invited Mamdani on Monday to attend a screening of 47 minutes of footage compiled by the Israel Defense Forces documenting the Oct. 7 attacks. The footage includes material captured by Hamas terrorists during the assault.
“Anyone with a heart should be ashamed of the response of the Mayor of New York City to the Oct. 7 massacre,” Akunis said. “On that day, monsters invaded the State of Israel on a Jewish holiday. Thousands were murdered, hundreds were kidnapped, innocent civilians were beheaded, and women were raped.”
“Mamdani, displaying a shocking lack of basic humanity, continues to spread antisemitic blood libels against the Jewish state,” the Israeli consul general added. “New York City should be appalled that its mayor shows such contempt for the memory of those who were murdered.”
Mamdani’s statement acknowledged the Hamas attack, saying that the terrorist group “killed more than 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251 others.” He wrote that “the suffering did not begin nor end that day,” however, and devoted much of the statement to accusing Israel of an “ongoing genocide” in Gaza and of committing war crimes.
The mayor’s reference to more than 1,100 Israeli deaths is lower than the approximately 1,200 deaths generally cited for the attack. It was not immediately clear why Mamdani used the lower figure. The number of hostages he cited, 251, is consistent with Israeli tallies.
Akunis said the screening would allow Mamdani to see the attack firsthand.
“For the first time, he will be able to see what the people he supports actually did,” Akunis said on Monday, “and perhaps he will stop his relentless incitement, hatred and blood libels against the State of Israel.”
