The New York Post revealed Sunday that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is leading what critics call the “Hamas Squad”—a group of congressional candidates he’s backing who maintain ideological and political connections to figures linked to the terrorist organization.
2+Heading the list are Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, and Darializa Avila Chevalier—figures whose worldview includes open hostility to Israel and support for extreme anti-Zionist messaging.
The candidates’ connection to social media influencer Bartley Blakeley, known for her support of Hamas, exposes the depth of backing and the alarm it’s raising in the city’s Jewish communities. Blakeley, who serves as a conduit for spreading the candidates’ messages, has compared Yahya Sinwar to distinguished historical leaders and refused to condemn the October 7 massacre.
2+Radical Agenda Under City Hall’s Patronage
The candidates backed by Mamdani have openly declared their intention to work in Washington against Israel’s interests, using rhetoric that labels security aid “funding genocide.”
Darializa Avila Chevalier, one of the prominent candidates, previously sparked public controversy after she was documented participating in a pro-‘Palestinian’ demonstration. Mamdani’s official support for these candidates, alongside his consistent refusal to condemn Hamas or support its disarmament, places him in a position many define as undermining the Jewish community’s security.
2+Leaders in the Jewish community are furious over Mamdani’s conduct, arguing it represents deliberate delegitimization of Jews. Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, emphasized that the city’s political system has changed in an alarming way, with support for Hamas, Iran, and Hezbollah becoming a “ticket to entry” into progressive power circles. William Jacobson, a law professor, added that the attempt to disguise antisemitism under the cover of “anti-Zionism” is the first step toward a hostile and dangerous administration.