Politicos Join in Relief with Jewish Community here over Hostage Release

The release of the 20 living hostages that had been held by Hamas sent a long awaited wave of relief through the Jewish community in Manhattan and drew praise from Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams.

In the mayoral race, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa issued immediate statements celebrating the release as a first step in the peace process. Front runner Zohran Mamdani, who is Muslim and has been accused of being anti-Jewish, stayed mum on the release for most of the day, before issuing a statement late Monday afternoon.

There was joy at many of the bedrock institutions in the Jewish community here. “The Museum of Jewish Heritage is profoundly relieved that the remaining hostages taken during the brutal attacks of October 7, 2023, have at last been freed,” wrote Bruce Ratner, Chairman of the Board, and Jack Kliger, President & CEO of the Jewish Heritage Museum.

“For more than two years, their families and loved ones have lived with anguish, uncertainty, and pain that no one should ever endure. Today, we share in their immense relief and gratitude, and call for the return of the remains of the hostages who have been killed in Gaza.

“This is not only the end of a war; this is the end of an age of terror and death,” said President Donald Trump in an address to Israel’s Parliament on Oct. 13.

Mayor Eric Adams said: “Our 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.”

“After two years of immense suffering and loss, the Israeli hostages have finally returned home. I join their families in celebrating this long-awaited homecoming and pray they find peace and comfort in the days ahead,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“I’m grateful to the administration for its role in securing the hostages’ release. With their return and a permanent ceasefire, I’m hopeful that vital aid will soon reach families suffering in Gaza and that today marks the beginning of a new chapter of lasting peace and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” Hochul said.

Scott Richman, ADL New York/New Jersey regional director, said:“We are overjoyed and profoundly relieved that the remaining hostages are finally home, while filled with anguish for those not coming home alive,” he said. “Their return is a testament to the resilience of their families and the unwavering unity of Am Yisrael. ADL stands with the families, the global Jewish community, and all in Israel who never gave up hope. “

“This is more than a diplomatic success,” said independent candidate for mayor Andrew Cuomo. “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.”

Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for mayor also joined in the sense of relief that the families of the returned hostage must feel. “A massive weight has been lifted from their families’ shoulders,” he said. “Peace is always the ultimate goal, and finally, an end to the war is something we all should celebrate,” he said in a statement.

But in what is sure to become another flashpoint in the mayoral race, the Democratic front runner Zohran Mamdani, who is seen as anti-Israel by many, had not issued a statement on the hostage homecoming and corresponding release of 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. He reportedly spent the morning running a 5K in Brooklyn, according to the New York Post, to raise money for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which raises money for Palestinians and has been accussed of being pro-Hamas.

Finally, late on Oct. 13 nearly 18 hours after the first hostages were released along with some of the Palestinian prisoners. “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.”