The New York elected officials calling for a ceasefire in Gaza

When Israel first invaded Gaza following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers supported the Israeli government. After the Hamas attack resulted in more than 1,100 deaths and more than 240 people taken hostage, the few voices criticizing the Israeli invasion – most notably, the Democratic Socialists of America – were clearly marginalized. But that has changed as the war has dragged on.

More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, while northern Gaza has been rendered largely uninhabitable – with Palestinian civilians forced to flee to the southern Gaza enclave of Rafah, which the Israeli military is now on the verge of invading. Gaza’s 2.2 million residents are facing life-threatening shortages of food and medical supplies.

The United Nations and other international organizations have been highly critical of Israel’s conduct, with the International Court of Justice even concluding that Israel may be committing genocide in Gaza. The reports coming out of Gaza have led a number of New York politicians, labor unions and city councils to join the call for a permanent ceasefire, including:

• 4 (out of 26) members of Congress
• 6 (out of 63) state senators
• 10 (out of 150) Assembly members
• 18 (out of 51) City Council members

A number of politicians who oppose a permanent ceasefire have still called for a temporary ceasefire. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have said they support President Joe Biden’s attempts to negotiate a six-week ceasefire. Four members of New York’s congressional delegation have also called for a temporary ceasefire, while opposing a permanent one. 

This list was last updated on April 9.

Members of Congress

Permanent ceasefire

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - Ocasio-Cortez signed on as a co-sponsor of a House resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, which Rep. Cori Bush introduced in October. “Some may dismiss a ceasefire as naïve or worse,” the DSA-endorsed member of Congress wrote on X on Oct. 28, 2023. “Yet who has a plan for what follows this destruction? What do we call that?” During a speech on the House floor on March 22, Ocasio-Cortez accused Israel of genocide in Gaza: “If you want to know what an unfolding genocide looks like, open your eyes. It looks like the forced famine of 1.1 million innocents. It looks like thousands of children eating grass as their bodies consume themselves, while trucks of food are slowed and halted just miles away.”

Jamaal Bowman - Bowman also signed on as a co-sponsor of Rep. Cori Bush’s House resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in October. His outspoken criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza have led pro-Israel activists to back Westchester County Executive George Latimer’s primary challenge against him. Even J Street, a relatively liberal pro-Israel group, pulled its support from Bowman after he referred to Israel’s actions in Gaza as a “genocide.”

Ironically, Bowman previously got into political trouble with the left for being insufficiently critical of Israel. When Bowman first ran for Congress in 2020, he was endorsed by the leftist organization. In 2021, though, some members of DSA from outside New York called for him to be expelled from the organization after he voted in favor of military funding for Israel and participated in a J Street trip to Israel, violating the tenets of the “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” movement that DSA has endorsed. DSA’s national leadership ultimately opted not to expel Bowman, but the organization didn’t endorse him for reelection in 2022.

Nydia Velázquez - Velázquez also signed as a co-sponsor of Rep. Cori Bush’s House resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in October. “I have never supported a war resolution in my 31 years in Congress, and I will never support war,” she told City & State in November.

Paul Tonko - On Jan. 23, Tonko wrote on X: “The extremist rhetoric calling for the forced transfer of Palestinians out of Gaza is unacceptable & why I joined a letter urging the U.S. to articulate our clear rejection of these hateful ideas. I will also continue to reiterate my call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”

Temporary ceasefire

Dan Goldman - A staunch supporter of Israel’s invasion of Gaza, Goldman nonetheless co-wrote a letter in February calling for a “temporary ceasefire agreement” between Israel and Hamas to facilitate the release of Israeli hostages. In an interview with City & State, Goldman took pains to distinguish his position from that of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman and Nydia Velázquez. “There can be no permanent ceasefire with Hamas still in control of Gaza. And so what we are calling for is just a temporary pause for hostage relief and humanitarian purposes, and then a more permanent solution will have to be reached later,” he said.

Jerry Nadler - The most senior Jewish Democrat in the House, Nadler signed on to Rep. Dan Goldman’s letter calling for a temporary ceasefire in order to free Israeli hostages. Like Goldman, he objects to any permanent ceasefire that would not remove Hamas from power. “A two-state solution and lasting peace is simply not possible while Hamas remains in power in Gaza. With this in mind, I believe that a mutually agreed, temporary ceasefire agreement that alleviates the suffering and brings home those languishing in captivity is the best way forward,” Nadler said in a statement.

Pat Ryan - On Feb. 23, Ryan called for a temporary ceasefire, writing on X: “The Rafah invasion cannot proceed. I’m calling for a mutual, temporary ceasefire to both secure the return of hostages and to send a massive surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza.” But he has resisted pressure from activists to call for a permanent ceasefire.

Grace Meng - On Feb. 29, Meng signed on to a letter from other moderate, pro-Israel House Democrats calling for a temporary ceasefire. “A temporary pause in fighting will not only help release the hostages and give desperately needed relief to the millions of civilians displaced by this war, it can also open a path to permanently ending the conflict,” the letter reads. 

Although Meng supports a temporary ceasefire, she opposes a permanent ceasefire that would not remove Hamas from power. “Americans do not want an ephemeral ceasefire that will merely return the region to the status quo, with Hamas empowered to regroup and fulfill its promise to repeat the attacks of October 7,” she and other moderate House Democrats wrote in a January letter. 

State senators

Julia Salazar - One of three DSA “Socialists in Office” in the state Senate, Salazar called for a ceasefire on Oct. 13, 2023, the day that Israel ordered Palestinians in northern Gaza to evacuate in advance of a ground invasion. She wrote on X: “The whole world is watching as the IDF promises to decimate Palestinian civilians in Gaza, destroying over a million lives in every sense. A ceasefire is urgent. Please implore your federal elected officials to take every action they can to stop this from continuing.”

Kristen Gonzalez - The DSA-backed state senator also called for a ceasefire on Oct. 13, 2023, writing on X: “Make no mistake, these actions by the Israeli government are genocidal. Innocent lives must be protected. Now is the time to organize and act. Call your representatives today and demand a ceasefire and deescalation.”

Jabari Brisport - The DSA-backed state senator called for a ceasefire on Oct. 16, 2023, writing on X: “The US is funding war crimes; we must instead deescalate, secure the release of hostages, and begin building toward a just and lasting peace. We must demand a ceasefire and an end to the siege.” On Oct. 20, 2023, Brisport was arrested while participating in a pro-Palestine protest in Manhattan.

Robert Jackson - On Oct. 27, 2023, Jackson joined a Jewish Voice for Peace protest in Grand Central Terminal in support of a ceasefire. “I stood in solidarity with the Jewish Voice for Peace-NYC alongside my colleagues, New York State Legislators, and NYC Council Members, as we joined thousands of protesters at Grand Central Station last night, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to save lives,” he wrote on Instagram.

Jessica Ramos - On March 13, Ramos released a statement calling for a permanent ceasefire: “I call on our federal officials to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. As a New York State Senator, I stand for de-escalation, diplomacy and human rights for all people – Palestinian and Israeli.”

Samra Brouk - On March 28, Brouk released a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire: “Now, as 1.1 million people – most of them women and children – are on the brink of famine, we cannot delay calls for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid to those suffering. In a moment of profound crisis, we must have the moral courage to protect human life and stand against actions that threaten the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of children and families.”

Assembly members

Zohran Mamdani - Mamdani, one of DSA’s “Socialists in Office” in the Assembly, called for a ceasefire on Oct. 13, 2023, writing on X: “Now is the moment for all people of conscience to call for a ceasefire and no more military funding.” Later that day, he was arrested at a protest outside U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s apartment. In December, he joined with other activists for a hunger strike outside the White House. 

Even before the current conflict, Mamdani was an outspoken critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. In May 2023, he introduced the “Not on Our Dime Act,” which aims to stop New York-based charities from funding Israeli groups involved in illegal West Bank settlements.

Emily Gallagher - On Oct. 15, 2023, the DSA-backed Assembly member wrote on X that she was “joining faith leaders, families and people of conscience for a virtual vigil to call for an immediate ceasefire.”

Phara Souffrant Forrest - The DSA-backed Assembly member called for an immediate ceasefire on Oct. 13, 2023.

Marcela Mitaynes - The DSA-backed Assembly member was arrested while participating in a pro-ceasefire protest outside U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s apartment on Oct. 13, 2023. She later signed on to a January letter from Jewish Voice for Peace Action calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Sarahana Shrestha - The DSA-backed Assembly member also signed on to a January letter from Jewish Voice for Peace Action calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. “Proud to join leaders across the country in calling for a #CeasefireNOW,” she wrote on X on Jan. 10.

Jessica González-Rojas - González-Rojas called for a ceasefire on Oct. 10, 2023, writing on X: “I mourn the loss of Israeli & Palestinian civilian lives caused by decades of conflict & hope for a ceasefire & peace between the nations.” Three days later, she specifically implored federal officials to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. González-Rojas is a member of the DSA, though she has not formally been endorsed by the organization.

Pat Fahy - On Jan. 24, Fahy wrote on Instagram: “We need a ceasefire now and the return of all hostages.”

Khaleel Anderson - On Feb. 27, Anderson called for a ceasefire, writing on X: “We are approaching nearly 150 days of conflict. There has to be a pathway towards peace in this moment. The killings of innocent lives as a casualty of a never-ending war can not sustain. It is clear that a ceasefire (with the right controls in place) can achieve this peace.”

Robert Carroll - In March, Carroll added his name to a January letter from Jewish Voice for Peace Action calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Catalina Cruz - On April 4, Cruz released a statement on Instagram calling for an immediate ceasefire: “We must call for an immediate ceasefire – the cessation of violence, the immediate surge of unrestricted humanitarian aid, the release of hostages, and a true road to peace for both the Palestinian and Israeli people.”

New York City Council members

Tiffany Cabán - Cabán, one of DSA’s two “Socialists in Office” on the City Council, was the first council member to call for a ceasefire, writing on X on Oct. 11, 2023: “Even as I continue to grieve the Israeli civilians murdered by Hamas, I feel mounting fear that the conditions for genocide in Gaza are developing. The US must do everything in its power to secure an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation.”

Alexa Avilés - One of the two DSA-endorsed City Council members, Avilés signed on to a letter from Jewish Voice for Peace Action calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. “Asking for a ceasefire is not a violent act,” she told City & State in November.

Shahana Hanif - The co-chair of the Council Progressive Caucus and the only Muslim woman in the City Council, Hanif called for a ceasefire on Oct. 13, 2023, writing on X: “There is nowhere for the people of Gaza to go. The international community cannot stand by while the IDF indiscriminately attacks unarmed civilians and critical infrastructure. There must be a ceasefire to ensure that the already astronomical death toll does not rise.” Hanif was later arrested at a pro-ceasefire protest on Oct. 20, 2023. She is a member of the DSA, though she has not been formally endorsed by the organization.

Sandy Nurse - The co-chair of the Council Progressive Caucus called for a ceasefire on Oct. 12, 2023, in a post on X criticizing Gov. Kathy Hochul for declining to offer support to Palestinian New Yorkers. “Right now our state needs disciplined leadership that can both condemn Hamas and call for de-escalation and ceasefire. As we get reports of white phosphorus used on Gaza and carrying out a complete leveling of the strip as collective punishment, I’m disappointed to read this,” Nurse wrote.

Chi Ossé - On Oct. 9, 2023, Ossé released a lengthy and nuanced statement about the Hamas attacks that had occurred two days before. He condemned the attacks while affirming the legitimacy of Palestinian resistance to Israel and blaming the root cause of the violence on “the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank and its dominion over the Gaza Strip.” On Dec. 1, 2023, he wore “Ceasefire Now” shirts along with other council members.

Yusef Salaam - Salaam, a member of the Exonerated Five who joined the council this year, released a statement calling for a ceasefire on Nov. 20, 2023 – more than a month before he took office. “I join voices in Harlem, New York City & State, congressional representatives in Washington D.C., and the international community, in urging President Biden to do what's right by calling on the Israeli government for an immediate, durable and sustainable ceasefire,” he wrote in the statement.

Jennifer Gutiérrez - On Nov. 21, 2023, Gutiérrez released a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire. “Above all else, we must prioritize preserving all civilian lives and ensuring a safe return of the hostages and I am calling for an immediate ceasefire so no more children have to suffer. This war must come to an immediate end to save lives, we must condemn Hamas and promote enduring peace in the region,” she wrote. On Dec. 6, 2023, Gutiérrez wore a “Ceasefire Now” shirt along with other council members.

Justin Brannan - On Nov. 20, 2023, Brannan released a statement calling for “the unconditional release of all hostages, the removal of Hamas from operational control of Gaza, and a humanitarian ceasefire to end (the) cycle of violence in the region.” On Feb. 20, Brannan released a follow-up statement that did not include the demand that Hamas be removed from control of Gaza: “We need all remaining hostages released. We need a ceasefire that is both immediate and permanent.”

Carlina Rivera - In November, Rivera called for a ceasefire in her monthly newsletter to her constituents: “While violence continues in the Middle East, Council Member Rivera joins her colleagues in calling for a ceasefire and return of Israeli hostages.”

Nantasha Williams - On Dec. 6, 2023, Williams wore a “Ceasefire Now” button along with other council members. On Jan. 9, she signed on to a Local Progress letter calling for “a durable ceasefire.”

Crystal Hudson - On Jan. 9, Hudson signed on to a Local Progress letter calling for “a durable ceasefire.”

Lincoln Restler - On Jan. 9, Restler signed on to a Local Progress letter calling for “a durable ceasefire.”

Carmen de la Rosa - On Jan. 9, de la Rosa signed on to a Local Progress letter calling for “a durable ceasefire.”

Pierina Sanchez - On Jan. 9, Sanchez signed on to a Local Progress letter calling for “a durable ceasefire.”

Althea Stevens - On Jan. 9, Stevens signed on to a Local Progress letter calling for “a durable ceasefire.”

Rita Joseph - On Feb. 28, Joseph spoke at a 24-hour press conference/vigil outside City Hall in support of a ceasefire. She later added her name to a letter from Jewish Voice for Peace Action calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Christopher Marte - On Feb. 28, Marte attended a 24-hour press conference/vigil outside City Hall in support of a ceasefire.

Shekar Krishnan - On April 8, Krishnan published an op-ed in the Jackson Heights Post calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire: “This has to stop. There must be an immediate, permanent ceasefire and a release of all hostages. If we truly believe every human life is precious, which I do, this is the only way forward.” In the op-ed, Krishnan specifically mentioned Israel’s killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including one who previously delivered free meals to residents in Krishnan’s district at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Kristen Richardson Jordan and Charles Barron) - Before leaving the City Council at the end of 2023, the two Black radical socialists wore “Ceasefire Now” shirts alongside other council members.

New York City officials

Brad Lander - The city comptroller wrote a lengthy Medium post on Nov. 21, 2023, spelling out his hope for “a ‘humanitarian ceasefire’ during which the fighting would stop to allow aid to flow, the injured to leave, hostage negotiations and release to take place, and civilian protection measures put in place to curb unacceptable levels of civilian harm and suffering.” Since then, he has been a frequent presence at pro-ceasefire rallies. On Jan. 9, he signed on to a Local Progress letter calling for “a durable ceasefire.”

Jumaane Williams - On Oct. 28, 2023, the city public advocate wrote on X: “I don't care what you call it – a #ceasefire or #humanitarian pause – all who value life should call for an immediate end of the crisis in Gaza right now.”

New York municipalities

City of Albany - Few state politicians in Albany support a ceasefire, but local elected officials are another story. On Jan. 6, the Albany Common Council voted 10-2 (with one abstention) in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza – becoming the first city in the state to call for a ceasefire.

City of Newburgh - A progressive hotspot in the Hudson Valley with about 29,000 residents, Newburgh was the second city to formally call for a ceasefire. On Jan. 22, the Newburgh City Council voted 5-0 (with two abstentions) in favor of a ceasefire resolution.

City of Hudson - On Feb. 20, the Hudson Common Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

City of Beacon - On March 4, the Beacon City Council passed a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Five council members voted in favor of it, while one council member and the mayor abstained. Although the city council decided in February not to draft a ceasefire resolution, council members ultimately changed their minds after hearing from residents.

City of Ithaca - On March 6, the Ithaca Common Council voted 9-2 in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

City of Rochester - On March 22, the president of the Rochester City Council signed on to two separate resolutions – each of which was supported by half of the council – calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Organized labor

AFL-CIO - On Feb. 8, the executive leadership of the umbrella group for most U.S. labor unions released a statement calling for “a negotiated cease-fire in Gaza – including the immediate release of all hostages and provision of desperately needed shelter, food, medicine and other humanitarian assistance to Gazans.” It represented a remarkable shift for an organization that has historically been very supportive of Israel and had previously dismissed calls for a ceasefire.

United Auto Workers - On Dec. 1, 2023, the UAW became one of the first large national unions to join the call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (UAW Region 9A, which includes UAW-represented workers in New York, had already called for a ceasefire in November.) On Feb. 16, the UAW joined with six other national unions – the American Postal Workers Union, Association of Flight Attendants, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, National Education Association, National Nurses United and United Electrical Workers (UE) – and more than 200 union locals to form the National Labor Network for Ceasefire. 

1199SEIU - On Dec. 15, 2023, the powerful health care union 1199SEIU called for a ceasefire in Gaza, and the national SEIU union followed suit a month later. So far, though, 32BJ SEIU – the influential SEIU union representing building services workers in New York City – has not weighed in on a ceasefire.

Communications Workers of America - On Jan. 26, the CWA executive board released a statement calling for “a ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the opportunity to deliver humanitarian aid.”

American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association - The two largest teachers unions in the county have both called for a ceasefire. On Dec. 8, 2023, NEA president Becky Pringle wrote on X that “the need for a ceasefire in Gaza is growing.” On Dec. 30, 2023, AFT president Randi Weingarten called for “a bilateral, negotiated ceasefire that brings the hostages home, provides aid & agency to Gaza & gives security to millions living with immense trauma, sadness & fear.” Both the NEA and the AFT later formally adopted resolutions calling for a ceasefire.

So far, New York State United Teachers – a statewide group of teachers unions that is affiliated with both the NEA and the AFT – has not weighed in on a ceasefire. And the United Federation of Teachers, an AFT local representing New York City teachers, actually rejected a ceasefire resolution when it was brought up for a vote in November.

New York State Nursing Association - On Nov. 22, 2023, NYSNA endorsed a statement made by its parent union, National Nurses United, calling for a “an immediate ceasefire, delivery of humanitarian aid, release of all hostages, and an end to this violence.” 

Others

Democratic Socialists of America - DSA has opposed Israel’s military offensive in Gaza since before it even began. The proudly anti-Zionist socialist organization – which officially endorsed the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against the Israeli government during its 2017 national convention – has joined with both Muslim groups and progressive Jewish groups to organize large demonstrations across the city calling for a ceasefire. DSA’s eight state legislators and two New York City Council members were among the first elected officials to call for a ceasefire.

Working Families Party and Indivisible - On Oct. 20, 2023, the Working Families Party called for an immediate ceasefire and began mobilizing its members to pressure members of Congress to sign onto the call for a ceasefire and vote against unconditional military aid to Israel. The national progressive organization Indivisible also called for a ceasefire on Oct. 20, 2023.

Local Democratic Party officials - There are thousands of Democratic district leaders, county committee members and state committee members across the state. On Feb. 15, more than 100 of them signed on to an open letter addressed to U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. “We cannot afford to alienate important factions of our base, including young people, Arabs, and leftist Jews – the majority of whom would like to see a ceasefire and general de-escalation of U.S. military involvements abroad – on the eve of elections that will decide the very fate of our democracy. We write this letter, in part, because we know that the alternative to taking action for peace will be mass disillusionment and disengagement in politics by the very voters we need to save democracy,” the letter states.

George Latimer – The Westchester County executive, whose Democratic congressional primary challenge against Rep. Jamaal Bowman has been heavily supported by pro-Israel groups, called for a temporary ceasefire on March 5, writing on X: “I support President Biden’s temporary ceasefire that finally brings home all of the Israeli hostages and gets humanitarian aid to Gaza. This is about building enduring peace resolutions and this plan will save countless lives and restore humanity.”