Rama Duwaji Draws Scrutiny Over Likes Tied to Oct. 7 Posts
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing renewed questions after reports focused on social media activity linked to his wife, rama duwaji, including an alleged “like” on an Instagram post dismissing an investigation into sexual violence during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack as a “mass rape” hoax. As of Sunday at 11: 05 a. m. ET, Mamdani has described her as “a private person” when asked publicly about the matter.
Rama Duwaji and the February 2024 Instagram “hoax” allegation
The latest round of scrutiny centers on a report that Rama Duwaji liked a February 2024 Instagram post that claimed an investigation by into sexual violence during the Oct. 7 attack was “fabricated. ” The report described the post as dismissing the investigation as a “mass rape” hoax.
The same account of events characterized the Instagram activity as part of a broader series of controversial social media interactions that have come to light in recent days. The reporting did not specify when the February 2024 post was liked, only that it was attributed to Duwaji’s account.
Duwaji was described as a Houston-born illustrator who identifies as Syrian, and she married Mamdani in early 2025. The reporting also said she has used a personal account in her own name where she has posted political illustrations, and that the mayor has interacted with that account in the past.
Zohran Mamdani’s City Hall statement and “private person” comment
City Hall has pointed back to Mamdani’s public position on the Oct. 7 attack. attributed to a City Hall spokesperson, the office said: “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. ”
When asked about his wife’s social media activity during a Friday news conference, Mamdani described Duwaji as “a private person. ” The reporting did not include additional remarks from him beyond that description, and it did not indicate that Duwaji had made a public statement addressing the posts.
Separately, one account said Duwaji did not respond to multiple requests for comment, and that the mayor’s office would not answer questions about his views on her online activity or whether the couple discussed the Oct. 7 attacks at the time. Instead, the office repeated its standard line condemning Hamas and the attack.
The Slow Factory post and additional accounts named in the reports
Multiple reports also highlighted social media engagement tied to posts shared in the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7. One post described as having been shared the day of the attack by an Instagram account called “The Slow Factory” included images of a bulldozer breaching a barrier separating Israel from Gaza and individuals riding on top of a captured Israeli Defense Force vehicle. Text shown over the images included “Breaking the walls of apartheid and military occupation, ” “Resisting apartheid since 1948, ” and the slogan “Systemic change for collective liberation. ”
As of Saturday, one report said Duwaji’s “like” on that post remained publicly visible. The same coverage also described other posts she engaged with as having been shared by an Instagram account called “The People’s Forum, ” including content promoting anti-Israel protests, calls to cut U. S. aid to Israel, and activist organizing efforts.
Another post that Duwaji was said to have liked included the slogan “from the river to the sea, ” which was described in the reporting as “often understood as calling for the total elimination of Israel from the lands between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. ”
For now, no additional official City Hall response beyond the spokesperson’s statement and Mamdani’s “private person” comment was described in the provided coverage. More clarity is expected after the next time Mayor Zohran Mamdani takes questions in a public setting, with the timing not specified as of Sunday at 11: 05 a. m. ET.
