Top Mamdani Propagandist Hailed Hamas Mastermind As ‘Heroic’

A top aide to Zohran Mamdani — and the creative force behind his viral campaign videos — is facing scrutiny after resurfaced social media posts showed praise for a senior Hamas figure tied to the October 7 terrorist attacks.

According to reporting from Jewish Insider, Donald Borenstein, who was paid more than $90,000 by Mamdani’s campaign and now serves in City Hall as a creative director, posted messages in 2024 appearing to glorify Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas.

In one post, Borenstein described Sinwar as someone who “gave his entire life until the end fighting for his people’s liberation,” while mocking Israeli forces and praising imagery of Sinwar’s final moments. In another, he suggested footage released by Israel Defense Forces had inadvertently created a “heroic” image of the Hamas leader. He also reportedly used the phrase “from the river to the sea,” widely interpreted as a call for the elimination of the state of Israel.

The posts have since been deleted, but archived versions remain accessible.

Borenstein’s role in Mamdani’s rise has been significant. As director of video, he served as the primary cinematographer behind the polished social media content that helped propel the democratic socialist candidate into Gracie Mansion. His presence in the mayor’s inner circle raises familiar questions about the ideological influences shaping the administration.

The controversy adds to a growing pattern of scrutiny surrounding figures in Mamdani’s orbit. Previous reporting has highlighted social media activity from campaign allies and associates who appeared sympathetic to Hamas or dismissive of the October 7 attacks. Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, was also reported to have liked posts downplaying the attack, while independent activist groups aligned with his campaign have faced similar criticism.

Mamdani himself has publicly condemned terrorism, but repeated incidents involving those close to him suggest, at minimum, a tolerance for rhetoric that crosses into extremism.

The issue has taken on added weight in recent months as New York City has seen heightened tensions tied to the Iran conflict. In a March incident, a protest in the city featured two men found to be ISIS-inspired Islamists throwing an explosive, raising alarms about the presence of more radical elements within certain activist spaces.

Against that backdrop, Borenstein’s posts only intensify concerns about how deeply such sentiments may run within political and activist networks connected to City Hall. More broadly, the episode underscores the increasingly blurred lines between digital activism and governance and reminds Americans that online voices and content strategies that help propel candidates to power need to be viewed with a critical eye, especially as fringe ideologies take center stage in American politics.

For Mamdani, the challenge is no longer just about campaign optics, but about the people entrusted with shaping the image and direction of the nation’s largest city.