NYC Mayor’s Wife Under Fire for Social Media Activity Concerning Oct. 7 Hamas Attack

Rama Duwaji, wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, faces growing scrutiny after reportedly liking social media posts that dismissed investigations into sexual violence committed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack in Israel as a “mass rape” hoax.

According to The Free Press, Duwaji allegedly liked an Instagram post from February 2024 claiming The New York Times’ investigation into sexual violence during the October 7 attack was “fabricated.” This revelation adds to a series of controversial social media interactions by Duwaji that have recently come to light.

Jewish Insider first reported that Duwaji, a Houston-born illustrator who identifies as Syrian and married Mamdani in early 2025, engaged with several posts critical of Israel in the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attack. As of this weekend, some of these likes remained publicly visible on her profile.

One particularly contentious post that Duwaji engaged with featured images of a bulldozer breaching a barrier between Israel and Gaza, with people riding atop a captured Israeli Defense Force vehicle. The post included text describing the scene as “Breaking the walls of apartheid and military occupation” and “Resisting apartheid since 1948,” alongside the slogan “Systemic change for collective liberation.”

Other posts she liked were shared by activist accounts such as The People’s Forum, promoting anti-Israel protests, calls to cut U.S. aid to Israel, and various activist organizing efforts. One post included the phrase “from the river to the sea,” which many interpret as calling for the elimination of Israel from the lands between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Mayor Mamdani’s administration, which has already faced questions about its stance on Israel and Jewish issues in New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. The mayor, who took office in January 2026, has had to navigate the complex political terrain of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a city where tensions around the issue run high.

When asked about his wife’s social media activity during a Friday news conference, Mamdani characterized Duwaji as “a private person” who has held no formal position in his campaign or administration.

“My wife is the love of my life, and she’s also a private person who has held no formal position on my campaign or in my City Hall,” Mamdani told reporters. “I, however, was elected to represent all 8.5 million people in the city, and I believe that it’s my responsibility, because of that role, to answer any questions about my thoughts and my policies and my decisions.”

A City Hall spokesperson attempted to distance the mayor from the controversy, telling Jewish Insider that “Mayor Mamdani has been clear and consistent: Hamas is a terrorist organization, October 7th was a horrific war crime and he has condemned that violence unequivocally.”

The October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and resulted in over 200 hostages being taken. The subsequent war in Gaza has continued for over a year, with devastating humanitarian consequences and ongoing international calls for a ceasefire.

This controversy highlights the challenges faced by political leaders and their families in the era of social media, where personal views expressed online can quickly become matters of public interest and political significance, especially on deeply divisive international issues.

The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment on the matter.