How NYC mayoral candidates reacted to the release of the Israeli hostages, from Gematria to Gaza

This piece first ran as part of The Countdown, our daily newsletter rounding up all the developments in the New York City mayor’s race. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. There are 21 days to the election.

From Gematria to Gaza

• Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa and Zohran Mamdani reacted Monday to the release of the last 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

• Cuomo called it a “moral moment” and invoked the Holocaust commemoration slogan “never again” to condemn the Hamas attacks. He also quoted writer and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel as saying, “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”

• Sliwa introduced Jewish math into his statement, leaning on a Kabbalistic system known as Gematria. “The 20 surviving hostages are reunited by families and loved ones after 738 agonizing days in captivity. 7+3+8 = 18, which means Chai, which means ‘life’ in Judaism,” he said.

• Mamdani said the “scenes of Israelis and Palestinians are profoundly moving,” but focused much of his statement on holding the Israeli and U.S. governments accountable for the death and destruction in Gaza. He also repeated his stance that American tax dollars “funded a genocide” in Gaza and that the global community must work toward a future “without occupation and apartheid.”

• Mamdani posted his statement at 4:20 p.m. New York time, over 12 hours after the hostage release, leaving time for Cuomo to criticize him.

• “It shouldn’t go unnoticed that @ZohrankMamdani – who still refuses to condemn the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’ (widely understood to mean death to Jews) – has yet to comment on the release of the hostages. His silence speaks volumes,” Cuomo said on X.

• In a race where Cuomo and Mamdani have sparred over their ability to stand up to President Donald Trump, neither mentioned his name or role in brokering the ceasefire. Sliwa said he was “proud of President Trump and all involved.”

Mamdani’s charm offensive

• Mamdani is continuing his charm offensive with New York’s business elite, reported The New York Times. He has built relationships with some of his harshest skeptics, and many say they like him — even if they disagree with his stances and plan to vote for Cuomo.

• Mamdani has strongly pivoted his views on policing, one of the top concerns among critics who recall his “defund the police” calls in 2020. In addition to a private apology tour with police officers, he has reiterated his interest in keeping Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch in her role, according to The New York Times Magazine.

• But Mamdani isn’t budging on his Israel views, he told the magazine. He reaffirmed his commitment to ordering the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he is elected mayor, though the pledge is unpopular even among some of his allies.

A Jewish comic stumps for Mamdani

• Jewish comedian Gianmarco Soresi, who recently told us about his Jewish background, which figures prominently in his act, was among the speakers at Mamdani’s rally in Washington Heights on Monday night, according to Politico.

• At the rally, which drew some 3,000 supporters, Mamdani said he saw “power of a movement that won the battle over the soul of the Democratic Party.”

• “We all know Cuomo will kiss the ring” of Trump, Soresi joked. “He kisses everything.”

• Like Mamdani, Soresi is an outspoken critic of Israel and its actions in Gaza.

Coming up over the next three weeks

• Thursday is the first general election debate among Cuomo, Mamdani and Sliwa. The event will be held at 7 p.m. in Rockefeller Center, and you can watch live on WNBC-TV or across WNBC’s and WNJU-TV’s digital and streaming platforms.

• Saturday, Oct. 25 is the last day to register to vote in person or by mail for the general election.

• Saturday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 2 are the dates for early voting.

• Tuesday, Nov. 4 is Election Day.