Freed hostage says NY pro Hamas protests bolster terrorists

A group of Jewish students from Columbia University, along with former hostages and their families, have filed a lawsuit in a New York court against pro-Palestinian student groups and activists.

The plaintiffs allege that these groups provide "public relations services" for Hamas through propaganda and recruiting efforts, and claim some members were "aware in advance" of Hamas' plan to carry out the October 7 attack.

According to the lawsuit, the terrorists displayed reports and images from campus protests organized by the defendants and even shared Al Jazeera coverage of the demonstrations to showcase Hamas' "success" in gaining global support.

"They boasted about Hamas operatives being present on U.S. campuses and claimed these protests were part of their campaign," the lawsuit states.

Other plaintiffs include Iris Weinstein Hagi, the daughter of Judy Weinstein and the late Gadi Hagi; the families of the late Yonatan Samrano, Ran Goyili, and Uriel Baruch. The lawsuit, filed under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act, seeks financial damages from the accused groups for allegedly providing "indirect support for international terrorist acts." The plaintiffs are also demanding legal sanctions against the organizations.

The lawsuit, filed by the National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC), names "Students for Justice in Palestine" (SJP) and "Jewish Voice for Peace" (JVP), along with key activist Mahmoud Khalil. It accuses these groups of operating as a "propaganda arm" of Hamas within the United States. According to the complaint, since October 7, these organizations have coordinated with Hamas and provided "substantial support" to the terror group. The lawsuit also claims that the day after the attack, SJP branches distributed a "toolkit" encouraging "real—not just rhetorical—support" for Hamas, including organizing protests and fundraising efforts.

Mahmoud Khalil, 30, a Columbia graduate who led campus protests after the war began, is cited as a key figure in the case. The lawsuit describes Khalil, who was arrested by immigration authorities two weeks ago and is awaiting deportation proceedings, as a liaison between pro-Palestinian groups and external entities connected to Hamas. His lawyers deny any affiliation with the terrorist organization.

The lawsuit comes three days after Columbia University agreed to review its policies on campus protests and reassess its Middle Eastern academic programs as part of an effort to restore $400 million in federal funding that was revoked following allegations of tolerance toward antisemitism. Columbia officials have not directly responded to the lawsuit, but members of the Jewish community are urging the university to take stronger action against the accused organizations.

Mark Goldfeder, the plaintiffs' attorney, stated, "This is not a matter of free speech—it’s about providing direct assistance to a terrorist organization. We cannot pretend this is just student activism; the evidence is documented and clear."

In the same court, a separate lawsuit was filed a day earlier against President Donald Trump's administration by Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old Columbia University student and permanent U.S. resident. Chung, who immigrated from South Korea at age seven, faces deportation after being arrested during an anti-Israel protest at Barnard College, Columbia’s women's college, earlier this month.

According to the lawsuit, Chung was detained on March 5 while protesting disciplinary actions against pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Although released after receiving a court summons, immigration agents allegedly raided her parents' home days later in search of her.

A week after the initial arrest, agents also searched Columbia’s dormitories, a move that reportedly shocked the university. Columbia President Katrina Armstrong expressed being "heartbroken" over the events. Chung’s lawyers claim her green card has been revoked and that she faces imminent deportation.

The lawsuit accuses the administration of using Chung’s case to "intimidate and silence" foreign students who criticize Israeli policies. It argues that the government’s actions are reminiscent of the McCarthy era’s suppression of political dissent in the 1940s and 1950s.

In response, the Department of Homeland Security stated that Chung "was involved in concerning behavior, including participation in a pro-Hamas protest at Barnard College, and was arrested by New York City police."