Israeli hostages' families sue Mahmoud Khalil, Columbia organizers as alleged 'Hamas' propaganda arm' in NYC

The families of Israeli hostages are suing Mahmoud Khalil and different Columbia University protestation organizers for allegedly moving Hamas' "propaganda arm" connected campus. 

The lawsuit, filed successful the Southern District of New York connected Monday, sues Khalil, a erstwhile Columbia postgraduate pupil who was the main person of Columbia University Apartheid Divest and a spokesperson for the alleged "Gaza Solidarity Encampment," arsenic good arsenic Nerdeen Kiswani, the co-founder and seat of Within Our Lifetime; Maryam Alwan, a typical for Columbia Students for Justice successful Palestine; and Cameron Jones, a typical for Columbia-Barnard Jewish Voice For Peace. 

"Defendants successful this lawsuit are Hamas' propaganda limb successful New York City and connected the Columbia University campus," the suit says. "We cognize this due to the fact that they advertise themselves arsenic such. Their self-described acts successful furtherance of their goals to assistance Hamas person included terrorizing and assaulting Jewish students, unlawfully taking implicit and damaging nationalist spot and assemblage spot connected Columbia's campus, and physically assaulting Columbia University employees." 

The ailment says the defendants "act down veiled scarves and mostly question to beryllium anonymous individually, yet question to intimidate arsenic a group." 

IVY LEAGUE ANTI-ISRAEL RINGLEADER MAHMOUD KHALIL WITHHELD DETAILS OF FOREIGN TIES FROM VISA APPLICATION: FEDS

Thousands march crossed Manhattan demanding the merchandise of erstwhile Columbia pupil Mahmoud Khalil successful New York City connected March 18, 2025.  (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"This lawsuit volition propulsion down those scarves and unveil acts that interruption this country's antiterrorism laws," the suit says. "This lawsuit volition yet clasp these admitted terrorists accountable for their actions. It is clip for American campuses to instrumentality to being centers for learning and to beryllium saved from relentless concern by Hamas' tragically misguided cohorts." 

The plaintiffs are victims of Hamas' "heinous and ongoing acts of planetary coercion that began connected Oct. 7, 2023, the deadliest time for the Jewish radical since the Holocaust," the ailment notes.

They see six relatives of hostages who stay held successful Gaza. Hostages who were freed oregon rescued joined the lawsuit, including Iris Weinstein Haggai, the girl of slain Israeli-Americans Gad and Judy Haggai. Three American Israel Defense Forces soldiers are besides named arsenic plaintiffs. 

Anat Alon-Beck, a instrumentality prof moving with the National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC), said the suit highlights a substance of nationalist security. 

"While the U.S. cherishes escaped expression, it unequivocally condemns violence. Ironically, those who champion specified enactment would beryllium silenced nether Hamas' oppressive regime, starkly illustrating the opposition betwixt our cherished freedoms and their brutal tyranny," she said successful a statement. 

Nerdeen Kiswani, a Palestinian-American activistic and a co-founder and seat of Within Our Lifetime, participates successful an anti-Israel rally extracurricular The Trump Building connected Wall Street successful Manhattan, New York, connected March 19, 2025. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

VIDEO SHOWS ARREST OF COLUMBIA ANTI-ISRAEL RINGLEADER MAHMOUD KHALIL 

"This lawsuit gives dependable to heretofore seldom spoken facts. JVP, WOL, CUAD, the Students for Justice successful Palestine collective, and pupil leaders connected campuses passim the country, are serving arsenic instruments of Hamas, a overseas Terrorist Organization that hates the United States and the precise values these anti-Israel assemblage protestors assertion to represent," NJAC Associated Director Ben Schlager said. "The enactment of these field protestors knowingly affiliates with those who applaud immoderate signifier of physical, affectional oregon economical harm that tin beryllium inflicted upon citizens of a occidental democracy."

Hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrators stitchery successful beforehand of Donald Trump's Wall Street gathering to protestation successful New York connected March 19, 2025.  (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"The close to advocator and adjacent to propagandize is broadly construed successful the U.S., connected assemblage campuses and successful a immense array of fora," NJAC CEO Mark Goldfeder, said. "It is not, however, unfettered and surely does not encompass acts of violence, vandalism, carnal intimidation, trespassing and breach of assemblage rules that guarantee pupil safety. Nor does it enactment the proviso of worldly enactment for terror."

Arielle F. Klepach, a erstwhile national authoritative and Senior Litigation Counsel astatine NJAC, said "this first-of-its-kind suit seeks to clasp accountable the entities and individuals straight liable for wreaking havoc connected Columbia for the past twelvemonth and a half. As a Columbia alumna, the unfastened and unaddressed enactment for coercion has been disturbing to watch." 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

"Those liable volition present statesman to look consequences for their actions," Klepach added.