Pro Hamas Columbia Activist Khalil Claims "We" Couldn't Avoid Committing October 7th Massacre

A Columbia University protest leader and U.S. green card holder defended Hamas’s October 7 terror attack on Israel, calling it a necessary part of the Palestinian struggle. His remarks have reignited debate over his presence in the U.S., following past efforts by the Trump administration to deport him.

Key Facts:

Mahmoud Khalil, a leader in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, defended Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror attack during a New York Times interview.
Khalil said the massacre was part of a moment Palestinians “couldn’t avoid,” describing it as a response to not being heard.
He formerly worked for the U.N. agency UNRWA but allegedly concealed this from his U.S. green card application.
The Trump administration detained Khalil in March 2024 after revoking his visa and green card; he was released by a judge in June.
Hamas’s October 7 attack killed over 1,200 people, included rape and murder, and left at least 251 hostages taken, some still in captivity.

The Rest of The Story:

Mahmoud Khalil, an Algerian national and anti-Israel activist, appeared in a recent New York Times interview defending Hamas’s brutal October 7 attack. Speaking to columnist Ezra Klein, Khalil said, “It felt frightening that we had to reach this moment in the Palestinian struggle… we couldn’t avoid such a moment.”

He framed the terrorist massacre as a way to “break the cycle” of Palestinian voices going unheard. “That was my interpretation of why Hamas did the October 7 attacks on Israel,” Khalil added.

During the same interview, Khalil disclosed his work for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which last year fired nine employees for directly participating in the October 7 atrocities. U.S. prosecutors say Khalil concealed his UNRWA employment when applying for a green card.

After leading Columbia University’s anti-Israel protest movement in 2023 through the group Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), Khalil was detained by the Trump administration in March 2024. A judge later ordered his release in June, despite national security concerns. Khalil subsequently blamed rising antisemitism on American support for Israel.

The October 7 attack by Hamas is considered the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Survivors have recounted horrific acts, including rape, torture, and mass murder. Israeli officials believe 20 hostages remain alive in Gaza, with up to 50 bodies also still held.

WATCH: Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of the anti-Semitic protests that have rocked Columbia University, says "we" couldn't have avoided Hamas's Oct. 7 massacre.

"It felt frightening that we had to reach this moment in the Palestinian struggle," he said. "We couldn't avoid such a… pic.twitter.com/2aVbO8luQY

— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) August 6, 2025

Commentary:

Mahmoud Khalil’s defense of the October 7 massacre shows, in his own words, exactly why he should have never been granted the privilege of living in the United States. It’s not simply that he supports Palestinians—millions do. It’s that he openly rationalizes mass murder, rape, and hostage-taking as legitimate political expression. That’s barbarism cloaked in academia.

There’s a reason the Trump administration took action. Khalil’s undisclosed ties to UNRWA, an organization already under fire for extremist connections, and his open activism supporting violent groups like Hamas, are a red flag that should disqualify any foreign national from permanent residency.

People who come to this country must uphold basic standards of decency. You don’t get to enjoy the freedoms of America while glorifying terrorist attacks that butcher women and children. Khalil doesn’t just hold repugnant views—he has used his platform to promote them at one of the nation’s elite universities.

His use of “we” when describing the actions of Hamas was especially chilling. As the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association asked, “Who is we?” It’s a fair question. Is he speaking as a former U.N. employee? A student activist? A spokesman for Hamas? Whatever the answer, it’s one the American people deserve to know.

Let’s be clear: no civilized nation should tolerate people like Khalil in its borders. His presence is not just offensive; it’s dangerous. His ideology supports the kind of violence that October 7 made sickeningly clear.

The Trump administration tried to protect the country by detaining and initiating deportation proceedings against him. A federal judge released him, but now his own words provide new cause to revisit the case. He has shown the world who he is—and that should be enough.

There are no excuses for what happened on October 7. None. Khalil’s defense of that day doesn’t make him a freedom fighter. It makes him a polished savage who traded his mask for a microphone.

The Bottom Line:

Mahmoud Khalil defended one of the worst terror attacks in modern history and blamed America’s support for Israel for rising antisemitism. He concealed key parts of his past from immigration officials and is now openly justifying mass murder.

His words should be used as renewed justification to revisit his immigration status and deportation.