Left: U.S. Ambassador Designate to the United Nations Elise Stefanik during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Feb. 26, 2025. in Washington, D.C.; Right: New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani visits "The Story With Martha MacCallum" at Fox News Channel Studios on Oct. 15, 2025, in New York City. (Left: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Right: John Lamparski/Getty Images)
Fox News Channel's Martha MacCallum asked Mamdani during an interview earlier this week whether he believes Hamas should lay down arms and depart from leadership in Gaza.
Mamdani called for ensuring peace between Israel and Palestine.
But MacCallum pressed him again on the issue.
"But you won't say that Hamas should lay down their arms and give up leadership in Gaza?" she asked.
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"I don't 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," he said.
Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen of New York referred to Mamdani as "Pro-Hamas Zohran," asserting that he "is unfit to hold any office in the United States."
But during a mayoral debate on Thursday when pressed about his comments and asked what he believes about Hamas, Mamdani, a New York State assemblymember, said, "Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms."
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Mamdani describes himself as a "Democratic Socialist" in the biography section of his X account.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rep-elise-stefanik-labels-nyc-mayoral-candidate-zohran-mamdani-jihadist