During a segment on Fox News Channel's "The Story," Queens Assemblyman and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (D) found himself at the center of a contentious exchange.
Host Martha MacCallum pressed Mamdani on his stance regarding Hamas, particularly in light of the group's actions in Gaza. Despite repeated questioning, Mamdani refrained from explicitly stating that Hamas should disarm.
According to Breitbart, MacCallum confronted Mamdani, highlighting his previous criticisms of Israel and the United States in response to the events of October 7. She pointed out that Mamdani had, at times, omitted the date from his statements.
MacCallum emphasized the ongoing violence, noting, "Hamas is killing Palestinians within Gaza. And they have not returned the bodies that they promised to return, including two Americans, Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, whose families we have interviewed over these months." She sought Mamdani's perspective on Hamas's current actions.
In response, Mamdani acknowledged the need for the return of the bodies, stating, "I think those are bodies and remains that should absolutely be returned." He emphasized his commitment to critiquing both Hamas and the Israeli government from a standpoint of universal human rights.
However, he redirected the conversation to his focus on making New York City more affordable, saying, "And my focus, however, is right here in New York City and transforming the most expensive city in America into one thats affordable for each and every New Yorker."
MacCallum persisted, asking if Mamdani believed Hamas should disarm and relinquish leadership in Gaza. Mamdani sidestepped the question, reiterating his vision for peace in the region without directly addressing the issue of Hamas's armament. "I believe that any future here in New York City is one that we have to make sure thats affordable for all. And as it pertains to Israel and Palestine, that we need to ensure that there is peace, and that is the future that we fight for," he stated.
Despite MacCallum's continued efforts to elicit a direct response, Mamdani maintained his focus on broader principles of justice and safety, asserting, "I dont really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the question of justice and safety, and the fact that anything has to abide by international law."
His remarks reflect a broader reluctance among some political figures to take a definitive stance on the complex and volatile situation in the Middle East, particularly when it comes to the actions of groups like Hamas.
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