Socialist New York City mayoral candidate and current front-runner Zohran Mamdani refused to call on Hamas to lay down its weapons following the historic peace deal brokered by President Trump, saying he doesn’t “really have opinions about the future of Hamas.”
Mamdani was asked on Wednesday if he believes that Hamas should disarm and step away from leadership in Gaza, as required by the peace deal. The mayoral frontrunner, who has a long history of harshly criticizing Israel while downplaying Palestinian terror, said he is concerned about affordability in New York, and “as it pertains to Israel and Palestine, that we have to ensure that there is peace.”
Fox News host Martha MacCallum doubled down, asking again if Mamdani believes Hamas should disarm and he again avoided directly answering the question.
“I don’t really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the questions of justice and safety and the fact that anything has to abide by international law — and that applies to Hamas it applies to the Israeli military,” he said.
Mamdani refuses to say Hamas terrorists should put down their weapons: pic.twitter.com/yVbfkzGH4I
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 15, 2025
While Hamas is required to disarm under the terms of the cease-fire, the group has thus far refused to comply and has instead begun publicly executing suspected pro-Israel collaborators.
Mamdani also reiterated his promise to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he comes to New York.
“I’ve said this is a city that believes in international law, and this is a city that wants to uplift and uphold those beliefs,” Mamdani said. “The International Criminal Court, however, has issued a warrant for the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu, as it has for Vladimir Putin. I’ve said, that I believe we should uphold arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court.”
The United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court and therefore is not subject to its jurisdiction.
Mamdani’s comments come days after his wife posted a photo memorializing a Hamas propagandist.
The post, which includes a photo of Hamas campaigner Saleh Al Jafarawi, also known as Mr. Fafo, is accompanied by broken heart icons, potentially in reference to his death.
Mamdani also withheld praise for Trump for his role in helping the the Jewish state and Hamas come to a peace agreement.
“I think it’s too early to do so,” Mamdani said. “But if it proves to be something that is lasting, something that is durable, I think that’s where you go.”
In an interview with the New York Times on Tuesday, Mamdani said he does not believe that Democrats who support Israel have a place in the party.
Calling issue with politicians who are “progressive except Palestine,” Mamdani said not only are these people not in his coalition, but he doesn’t want their votes or support.
“That exception is one that I believe we should not only take issue with because of what it means for Palestinians and Palestinian human rights,” Mamdani told the Times. “But also, whenever you are at peace with the making of an exception, you make it easier to make another exception—wherever, whenever.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has argued that Mamdani’s position that Israel does not have a right to exist is in itself antisemitic, saying “anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”
Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D., N.J.) and Mike Lawler (R., N.Y.) were similarly concerned about Mamdani’s anti-Israel stance, releasing a statement last month condemning Mamdani’s push to disregard the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
“Zohran Mamdani’s reckless attempt to roll back New York City’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is shameful, dangerous, and completely disgusting,” the statement reads.
Currently, Mamdani still maintains a double-digit lead in polls, with less than three weeks until the election. He is set to debate against Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa Thursday night.