New York City’s “private” First Lady is at the center of a public scandal after reports she liked posts celebrating Oct. 7 and dismissing rape claims as a “hoax,” putting Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s judgment—and his political brand—under a harsh spotlight.
Quick Take
- Multiple reports say Rama Duwaji, wife of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, liked Instagram posts that praised or justified Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
- One reported like echoed denialism about sexual violence on Oct. 7, calling rape reporting a “mass rape hoax.”
- Mamdani’s office says Duwaji is a “private person” with no formal role in City Hall or his campaign, while reiterating his condemnation of Hamas.
- The controversy revives questions about Mamdani’s proximity to hard-left activist networks he previously criticized, and risks inflaming tensions in a city with large Jewish and pro-Palestinian communities.
What the reports say Duwaji liked—and when
Reporting published in early March 2026 alleges that Rama Duwaji liked a series of Instagram posts tied to the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 massacre in Israel. The accounts and organizations highlighted include Slow Factory and the People’s Forum, with posts framed around “resistance” and slogans used at pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The reporting places some of these likes on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, 2023, as news of the killings and kidnappings spread worldwide.
According to the same reporting, Duwaji later liked content disputing widely reported accounts of sexual violence during the Oct. 7 attack. One post described rape coverage as a “mass rape hoax” and claimed it was fabricated by The New York Times. The timeline described in the coverage ties this to the period after a major New York Times report in February 2024 detailing sexual violence allegations connected to Oct. 7, though Duwaji has not publicly responded.
Mamdani’s public condemnation vs. the “private person” defense
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack as a “horrific war crime,” but the reports about his wife’s social-media activity have created an obvious political collision. His office has responded by drawing a bright line: Duwaji is described as a private individual, not a campaign or City Hall official, and therefore not a policymaker. That distinction may matter legally, but politically it does not erase the reputational impact of what the likes appear to endorse.
The controversy also sharpens a separate issue raised by the coverage: Mamdani previously criticized a Democratic Socialists of America-aligned rally after Oct. 7 for “making light” of the massacre, yet Duwaji is reported to have liked posts from a Times Square rally organized by the People’s Forum that justified “resistance” and used “from the river to the sea” messaging. Taken together, the story is less about formal authority and more about what the mayor’s closest circle signals to the public.
Why this lands differently in New York City politics
New York City’s scale and diversity make it unusually sensitive to Israel–Palestinian politics, and the mayor’s office is often forced into high-stakes balancing acts on public safety, protests, and community relations. The reports arrive in a climate where social-media activity is treated as a real-world indicator of beliefs—especially when it touches terror violence or allegations of rape. For many voters, “liked” content reads as endorsement, even if the account holder claims otherwise.
What’s confirmed, what’s not—and what happens next
Across the coverage, the core claims are consistent: Duwaji’s account is said to have liked specific posts tied to Oct. 7 “resistance” framing and, separately, a post casting rape reporting as a “hoax.” The articles describe screenshots and catalog additional likes, but the public still lacks basic clarifying facts, including direct on-the-record explanations from Duwaji, the full context of each post, and whether any likes were later removed. Those gaps limit what can be responsibly concluded beyond the reporting itself.
WATCH: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says his wife, Rama Duwaji, isn’t a public figure after reports she liked a post calling the sexual violence investigation tied to Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack a “mass rape” hoax. pic.twitter.com/Qf6EIF4ns0
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 9, 2026
For New Yorkers, the immediate question is straightforward: can a mayor who insists his spouse is a private person still expect the public to ignore content that appears to celebrate or excuse atrocities? That’s not a demand for guilt-by-association; it’s a demand for transparency and moral clarity. If City Hall wants this to fade, the most credible path is specifics—what was liked, why it was liked, and whether the mayor’s condemnation of Hamas is matched at home.
Sources:
Zohran Mamdani’s wife liked social media posts celebrating Oct. 7 attacks
Mamdanis wife liked post calling oct 7 rapes a hoax report
New York’s First Lady Liked Post Calling October 7 Rapes a ‘Mass Rape Hoax’
