Hamas has released 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel has released some of the expected 2,000 Palestinian prisoners for their part of the first phase of a Gaza peace plan.
The U.S.-led plan is sending shockwaves around the world and across New York, with the city’s mayoral candidates reacting.
The Israel-Hamas war has played an outsized role in New York City’s political discourse.
National leaders react
President Trump took a victory lap as friend and foe alike wrestled with how to respond to his historic achievement.
“People are dancing in the streets, not just in Israel. They’re dancing in the streets of countries that would have never danced in the streets about what’s happening,” Mr. Trump said.
Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer commended the president.
“The enormous advocacy of the tireless hostage families, President Trump, his administration, and all who helped make this moment happen,” Schumer said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who like Schumer is warring with the president over the government shutdown, praised the deal as “an extremely welcome development,” without mentioning the president’s name.
NYC mayoral candidates react to hostage release
In the New York City mayor’s race, the ability to stand up to the president is a key campaign issue.
Frontrunner Zohran Mamdani issued the statement:
Today’s scenes of Israelis and Palestinians are profoundly moving: Israeli hostages being freed and families reunited after years of fear, uncertainty, and torture; the first days in Gaza without relentless Israeli bombardment of Palestinians as families return to rubble and loved ones freed from detention.
There is finally a glimmer of hope that this ceasefire will hold and the long difficult work of reconstruction can begin. I also know this news brings solace to millions of New Yorkers, who’ve felt the pain of the past few years. We have watched as our tax dollars have funded a genocide. The moral and human cost will be a lasting stain and requires accountability and real examination of our collective conscience and our government’s policies.
The responsibility now lies with those of us who believe in peace to make sure it endures, and that it is just. Once aid is delivered, the wounded are cared for, and a lasting agreement secured, we cannot look away. We must work towards a future built upon justice, one without occupation and apartheid, and for a world where every person can live with safety and dignity.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo did not mention President Trump in his statement:
For two long years, families have lived through unimaginable pain, sleepless nights, and endless heartache. Today, their prayers have been answered, as the remaining hostages are finally home in the arms of their loved ones, where they belong.
This is more than a diplomatic success; it is a moral moment, a reminder of our shared humanity and the sacred value of every life. We must never forget the terrorist act that brought us here, and we must stand together to say, with one voice: never forget and never again. Terrorism has no place in Gaza, in the Middle East, or anywhere in the world.
Elie Wiesel once said, “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” Today, we reject indifference & choose remembrance. And we choose hope: hope that peace is possible.
Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa also released a statement and did not mention the president’s name:
After two long years, all the living hostages are now safely home. A massive weight has been lifted from their families’ shoulders. Peace is always the ultimate goal, and finally, an end to the war is something we all should celebrate. The 20 surviving hostages are reunited by families and loved ones after 738 agonizing days in captivity. 7+3+8 = 18, means Chai, which means “life” in Judaism. A number that embodies life, hope, and blessing. We pray that these hostages coming home can recover, and live peacefully again. We are proud of the President and all involved for making this peace deal happen.
Bipartisan praise in Congress
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler and Democrat Rep. Josh Gottheimer offered bipartisan praise for the Middle East achievements of President Trump.
Could that have a lasting effect to bring about nonpartisanship in Washington?
“One would hope, but you know, unfortunately our politics are coarse and at times corrosive. But I think, and what I hope, is that people recognize the importance of strong American leadership abroad,” Lawler said.
“I’m hoping that the good, positive spirit there carries forward so we can get a deal done to reopen the government,” Gottheimer said.
The lingering question for many is what the final peace agreement will look like.