Letitia James calls for Gaza aid, criticized over Hamas omission

NY AG adds condemnation of Hamas to Gaza letter after backlash as over 60 top Democrats sign petition on famine and diplomacy.

By David Brummer, World Israel News

New York Attorney General Letitia James has come under scrutiny after quietly circulating a petition over the weekend urging action to end what she called the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza—without initially mentioning Hamas or its October 7 attack on Israel.

The early draft of the letter, obtained by The New York Post, stated: “We are united in this moment by a truth we can no longer ignore: a famine is unfolding in Gaza before the eyes of the world.”

The petition described itself as representing a “coalition of multiracial, multiethnic, and multifaith elected officials.”

“There is no denying it—we are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe,” the draft continued.

“We urge our fellow Americans to speak out, to support relief efforts, and to demand that our leaders use every tool of diplomacy to end this crisis. History will remember what we did, or failed to do, in this moment.”

Critics quickly noted the absence of any condemnation of Hamas in the document.

James’ office initially declined to comment on Saturday. Hours later, however, her office released an updated version of the petition, which did include a reference to Hamas.

“We are united in this moment by both condemning the October 7 massacre perpetrated by Hamas and an unavoidable truth: a famine is unfolding in Gaza before the eyes of the world,” the revised statement read.

A spokesperson for James insisted the Hamas language had been included “far prior” to media inquiries, although it was unclear why it initially appeared to be omitted.

More than 60 Democratic lawmakers from federal, state, and local government signed the petition, including longtime Congressman Jerrold Nadler and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

One conspicuous absence was Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a far-left Queens Democrat and vocal critic of Israel.

Although James is backing Mamdani’s mayoral ambitions, he is reportedly vacationing in Uganda, following his recent wedding and did not sign the petition.

Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (D-Brooklyn), a strong Israel supporter, blasted the original draft.

“New York is being run by a cabal of leftist Hamas apologists who would rather shield terrorists than speak the truth,” a spokesperson for Vernikov said.

“Any acknowledgment of a humanitarian crisis without addressing its cause—a terrorist regime that uses civilians as human shields—is dishonest. Ignoring that reality isn’t compassion; it’s complicity.”

The final version of the letter attempts to strike a more careful tone, acknowledging both the suffering in Gaza and the violent role of Hamas—a shift some critics say came too late.