Big Apple mayoral contenders Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa praised the living Israeli hostages\u2019 return after two years in captivity \u2013 while the race\u2019s front-runner Zohran Mamdani maintained silence Monday.<\/p>\n
The release of 20 captives by Hamas after a President Trump-secured cease-fire deal drew\u00a0celebration across New York City<\/a>\u00a0among crowds in Central Park and political leaders of nearly all political stripes.<\/p>\n Cuomo, the former governor who is running as an independent for mayor, evoked Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel\u2019s famous quote: \u201cThe opposite of love is not hate, it\u2019s indifference.\u201d<\/p>\n Eitan Abraham Mor, released from Gaza, embraces his loved ones at Rabin Medical Center. via REUTERS<\/p>\n \u201cToday, we reject indifference & choose remembrance,\u201d he said in a statement.\u00a0\u201cThis 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Sliwa, the Republican nominee, found spiritual significance in the agonizing 738 days that the hostages stayed in captivity.<\/p>\n \u201cA massive weight has been lifted from their families\u2019 shoulders,\u201d he said. \u201cPeace is always the ultimate goal, and finally, an end to the war is something we all should celebrate,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n Released Israeli hostage Evyatar David reacts upon arriving at Beilinson Hospital in the Rabin Medical Centre in Petah Tikva on Monday, October 13, 2025. AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cWe pray that these hostages coming home can recover, and live peacefully again.\u201d<\/p>\n The prayer for peace was also echoed by Mayor Eric Adams, who is no longer running for re-election.<\/p>\n Released Israeli hostage, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, kisses his mother after being freed. via REUTERS<\/p>\n \u201cOur hearts are filled with joy as an end to the war in Gaza appears to be on the horizon, and families have finally been united,\u201d he said in a statement.\u00a0\u201cWe pray that this news will bring lasting peace, justice, and prosperity to Israelis and Palestinians alike.\u201d<\/p>\n Mamdani, a harsh critic of Israel, didn\u2019t join the chorus as of Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n He spent the morning running a 5K in Brooklyn, in which he raised money for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees \u2013 a\u00a0controversial group\u00a0<\/a>that provides aid to Palestinians.<\/p>\n President Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One while en route to Egypt on Monday, October 13, 2025. REUTERS<\/p>\n New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks out after the hostages were freed. Don Pollard<\/p>\n The relief over the hostages extended beyond New York City, the largest Jewish community in the world outside of Israel.<\/p>\n Gov. Kathy Hochul<\/a>, in a solemn statement, noted the pointed impact that the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks had on New Yorkers.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I visited Israel in the immediate aftermath of the attack, I grieved alongside the families of Omer Neutra and Itay Chen,\u201d she said, referring to two New Yorkers held hostage and presumed dead.<\/p>\n \u201cMy heart is with them today, and with the many others who are still awaiting the closure they deserve. May the victims\u2019 memories be a blessing, and may we never forget their loved ones\u2019 pain.\u201d<\/p>\n Matan Zangauker meeting his mother at the initial reception point after being released from Hamas, in Israel. AP<\/p>\n