A shift at Israel-Hamas war’s six-month mark

Apr 08, 2024

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With help from Shawn Ness

A rally attendee hoists an Israeli flag in a sea of flags near the UN in Manhattan on April 7, 2024 at a rally demanding hostages of Hamas be returned.

Some Democrats are criticizing the civilian death toll in Gaza as the war nears the six-month mark. | Emily Ngo/POLITICO

NEW YORK MINUTE: The state Senate today will put the finishing touches on a third emergency spending bill to keep the lights on until Thursday. The Assembly approved the spending measure on Sunday.

The budget is now stretching into its second week of tardiness as state lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul remain at odds over a major housing package as well as how to fund the Medicaid program. — Nick Reisman

WAR TOLL: As the Israel-Hamas war hits a six-month milestone, mainstream Democrats are sharpening their criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A new focus? The conflict’s toll on civilians in Gaza.

“Hamas must be decisively defeated so that the atrocities that occurred on October 7 never happen again and the hostages are safely returned home,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement Sunday. “At the same time, it is critically important that Israel prosecute the war against Hamas with surgical precision in a manner that substantially mitigates the possibility that innocent Palestinian civilians and humanitarian relief workers are killed or harmed in any way.”

The scale of suffering has been devastating. About 1,200 people were killed when Hamas ambushed Israel on Oct. 7.

The Israeli offensive has killed 33,000 Palestinians. Last week, an Israel Defense Forces airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, leading President Joe Biden to intensify his pressure on Netanyahu.

About 1 million Palestinians are on the brink of starvation. And 134 hostages — some of them American — are still being held by Hamas.

Some of their grieving families say they understand the change in the U.S. posture toward Israel.

“How could there not be? The devastation in Gaza is so tremendous. The starvation, the destruction, the illness, the death,” Gillian Kaye, stepmother of hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, said Friday alongside Reps. Mike Lawler and Dan Goldman, POLITICO reported.

But, additionally, Kaye said, “134 innocent people are still hostages. They are still there. They have nothing to do with that.”

“Don’t forget the hostages” was the message sent Sunday in Manhattan near the United Nations, where Israeli flags fluttered in the wind and thousands gathered to demand the release of Hamas’ captives. A chant “Bring them home now!” could be heard for blocks.

Farther south in Manhattan, at the weekly vigil hosted by Israelis for Peace, attendees including City Comptroller Brad Lander called for the hostages to be freed — but also for an immediate cease-fire, for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza and for Netanyahu to resign.

The heartbreak, the anger and the complexities of the war were on display Friday when Lawler and Goldman stood in a bipartisan show of solidarity with families of hostages.

Some at the Manhattan event were critical of Netanyahu and some mourned the loss of Palestinian life but all said any cease-fire deal must include the release of hostages.

“Yes, the humanitarian aspect of it is important. And yes, we want to make sure that innocent Palestinians are not being harmed,” Lawler said. “All of this could end very quickly if Hamas would surrender and release the hostages.” — Emily Ngo

HAPPY MONDAY: And happy solar eclipse day. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.

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DO WE HAVE A BUDGET YET? No.

WHERE’S KATHY? At Niagara Falls to watch the solar eclipse, as well as in Albany.

WHERE’S ERIC? Holding a rally for "City of Yes for Economic Opportunity," hosting a pre-Passover discussion with Jewish ethnic media, watching the solar eclipse with senior citizens and hosting a community conversation.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I waited on Anthony Weiner. I waited on Eliot Spitzer. I haven’t normally shared that, but it’s true. One time, Hanson, the boy band from the ’90s, came in.” — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, recounting her time as a server at a coffee shop for New York magazine’s “Yesteryear” edition, out today.

ABOVE THE FOLD

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) speaks at a news conference

George Latimer is airing his first ad in his fight against Rep. Jamaal Bowman to go to Congress. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

LATIMER STARTS SPENDING: Democrat George Latimer’s House campaign is hitting the airwaves in his closely watched primary bid against Rep. Jamaal Bowman.

The Latimer campaign will air its first TV ad of the primary this week — a $234,900 cable buy, according to AdImpact. The ad is set to run from Tuesday through April 29.

The ad comes more than two months before early voting is set to begin on June 15.

Latimer, the Westchester County executive, facing off against Bowman, a two-term lawmaker, in a hotly contested intraparty race with issues like the Israel-Hamas war being wrestled over.

Latimer’s campaign did not reveal the content of the ad.

Bowman’s campaign, meanwhile, pounced on the news of the ad purchase. His campaign on Saturday released a fundraising email to supporters and pointed to the Latimer ad buy.

The email accused Latimer of being supported by “right-wing billionaires.” — Nick Reisman

CITY HALL: THE LATEST

New York Mayor Eric Adams listens at a town hall event with constituents.

Mayor Eric Adams plans to pitch his new economic vision to the City Council today, included is a plan to grow jobs and small businesses by changing zoning regulations. | Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office

BUILDING BLOCKS: Mayor Eric Adams’ administration will pitch its City of Yes for Economic Opportunity vision today to City Council members, and he’ll set the stage with a City Hall rally to be attended by supporters from chambers of commerce, Times Square Alliance, Freelancers Union and other groups, Playbook has learned.

The second of Adams’ three City of Yes proposals presents an 18-point blueprint to grow jobs and small businesses with more flexible zoning.

“Some of our regulations are laughably dated,” Department of City Planning chair Dan Garodnick told Playbook. “Our zoning calls out telegraph repair shops and taxidermy, but not 3-D printing or virtual reality. We limit opportunities for light manufacturing, for life sciences and for individual entrepreneurs. … It’s clearer than ever that we need an update here.”

The council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will hold a hearing today on the text amendment, which a spokesperson noted incorporated council priorities to boost an industrial sector providing mid- to high-wage jobs and promoting green energy. — Emily Ngo

More from the city:

— In a “Fox News Sunday” interview, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defends sending migrants to New York City. (POLITICO)

— The feds are investigating whether Adams accepted free Turkish Airlines upgrades, the first revelations in the ongoing probe into his 2021 campaign to directly concern him. (POLITICO)

— City investigators are probing the billions of dollars the Adams administration has spent to manage the migrant crisis. (Gothamist)

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NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul listens before President Joe Biden speaks on the debt limit during an event at SUNY Westchester Community College, Wednesday, May 10, 2023, in Valhalla, N.Y.

Two large advocacy groups are putting pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul in a new ad protesting high Medicaid rates. | Evan Vucci/AP

MEDICAID PUSH: A new seven-figure ad buy from the New York Alliance for Healthcare Justice launched in the final days of budget negotiations is putting pressure on Hochul to back higher Medicaid rates.

“Governor Hochul promised a stronger New York, but she’s turned her back on more than 7 million New Yorkers who rely on Medicaid,” says the ad shared first with Playbook.

The $2 million buy is the latest effort from 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and the Greater New York Hospital Association. The groups are pressing Hochul to adopt the Medicaid proposals in the Assembly and Senate’s one-House budgets. Both Houses have proposed a 3 percent rate increase and supplementary hikes for hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

“Underfunding Medicaid has already cut services, now your hospital may not survive. Tell Governor Hochul, ‘Enough with the talk, it’s time to act,” continues the ad, set to air in New York City, Albany, Buffalo and other markets.

Hochul, who did not respond to a request for comment, has called for $1.2 billion in cuts to Medicaid spending but signaled interest in a new tax proposed by the Legislature to generate more revenue for the insurance program.” — Jason Beeferman

More from Albany:

— The state’s largest health vendor is being accused of fraud and neglect. (Times Union)

— Hochul has appointed an “eclipse czar” for New York. (Washington Post)

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

— A Jewish group is working on mobilizing Jewish voters ahead of the upcoming primaries. (New York Post)

— Resorts World Casino said an expansion of its gambling offer would generate $1 billion for the state. (Bloomberg)

— Janna Leiber, the CEO of the MTA, isn’t worried about New Jersey’s potential lawsuit against congestion pricing. (Gothamist)

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“Digital ads are a key part of our success,” says Michael from Frederick Benjamin Grooming in Manhattan. “We can instantly see what’s working and what’s not. We can pivot on targeting. We can pivot on creative.” Like many small businesses across the state, Frederick Benjamin Grooming counts on digital ads to help a specific kind of consumer discover their unique offerings. “Without my ads, men with textured hair wouldn’t discover brands like ours.” Hear more stories about how local businesses count on digital ads. Learn more.

SOCIAL DATA

Edited by Daniel Lippman

MAKING MOVES — Steven Bennett is joining the Council on Foreign Relations as EVP and chief administrative officer. He most recently was an SVP at Syracuse University and is a Brookings alum. … Estefanía Palomino is now senior manager for philanthropic relations at the United Nations Global Compact. She most recently was a director at the Aspen Institute.

MEDIAWATCH — Eric Morath has joined the Federal Reserve Board as a speechwriter. He most recently was deputy economics editor at the Wall Street Journal.

WEEKEND WEDDING — New York City District Council of Carpenters Political Director Kevin Elkins and Bloomberg’s LP Senior Financial Analyst Kate Scarangello got hitched at Moon Palace the Grand in Cancún on Saturday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NBC’s Chuck Todd … Seymour Hersh … Robin Sproul of Javelin … Mike Leiter of Skadden Arps … NYT’s Dave Shaw … WaPo’s Zach Goldfarb … Madeline Beecher … (WAS SUNDAY): POLITICO’s Daniel Lippman and Fernando Rodas … CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Noah Gray, Brad Parks and Cliff Hackel … Darren Samuelsohn … HuffPost’s Paige Lavender … Rick Levin ... Marissa Klegman … Ming Dang … (WAS SATURDAY): NYT’s Glenn Thrush … WSJ’s Keach Hagey … Ron Brownstein … Mark Mordechai Green ... Yuval Levin … CNN’s Sunlen Serfaty … Sheila Nevins ... Asaf Shariv ... Zach Braff ... Joseph Brent ... Evan Conti … (WAS FRIDAY): Stanley B. Stern.