New York politicians are pushing for a permanent memorial honoring the victims of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack during the rally in Brooklyn. However, the New York Post reported that the proposal would rest on Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s approval.
Three years ago, militants led by Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in Israel. The victims included several people with deep ties to the tri-state area, including Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old Long Island native and IDF tank commander killed by Hamas terrorists.
“Those who were stolen from us will never be forgotten,” said New York Democratic senator Sam Sutton, who is behind the push for the memorial. Jewish politicians, including City Comptroller Mark Levine, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, and Rep. Dan Goldman, attended the press conference to commemorate the tragedy.
The Jewish victims will never be forgotten
The lawmakers are proposing to build a 6-foot by 6-foot memorial at Mickey Kairey Garden in Gravesend, a Brooklyn neighborhood with a large Jewish community. Now, it is up to Mamdani whether he will approve the project. Levine emphasized that the attack has a particularly personal connection to New York, which is home to one of the largest Jewish populations outside Israel.
“A memorial commemorating the victims of October 7 should have a place here in New York City,” Levine said in a statement following the event. “Many New Yorkers spent the day waiting for word from loved ones, knowing someone who was there, searching for someone who was missing, or grieving someone who would never come home.”
Mamdani, who is a known critic of Israel, recently attended a vigil honoring the victims of the Hamas attack in Manhattan. The recently elected mayor of New York previously criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a “war criminal” in his social media post. Neither the department nor City Hall has responded as of this writing.
Published: Oct 8, 2026 12:34 pm