In The New York Times podcast "Interview," Mamdani stated that the legal department of his administration is actively discussing the possibility of arresting Netanyahu. Mamdani promised to take this step when he was running for mayor. "I believe Prime Minister Netanyahu should be in The Hague," Mamdani said. "He is a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court. This opinion is shared by many people due to the consequences of his actions over the past few years." When asked what the law allows the mayor to do, Mamdani replied: "We are actively discussing this with our legal department. But at the national level, we see a tendency to create our own laws and go beyond legality. We have no such interest." Mamdani is a staunch critic of the Israeli government, having repeatedly called the Israeli military campaign in Gaza genocide. Israel rejects these accusations. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon announced on social media on Saturday that Netanyahu "will come to New York, proudly address the UN General Assembly, and stand before the world to proclaim the truth about Israel and the country's unwavering right to defend its citizens." The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and other leading Israeli politicians in 2024, accusing them of war crimes committed during and after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 73,250 Palestinians were killed due to Israeli attacks before last year's ceasefire. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but notes that most of the victims are women and children.