Stephen Colbert waded into the Hamas war conversation this week, calling out Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not seeming “apologetic” about the drone killings of seven aid workers in Gaza.
On Wednesday night, the Late Show host took a moment to spotlight the deaths of World Central Kitchen workers and the organization’s mission to “feed people” and “not take sides.”
“Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, the world has seen the horrible inhumane cost of this conflict,” Colbert began, “There is passionate disagreement in this country about what is the best way for Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future. I’m sure there are disagreements in this room—but I hope there is one thing we can all agree on: Human beings should have food and water.”
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“On Monday, seven World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Our thoughts are with the families and the loved ones of these heroes,” the host said, but wondered how the incident could have happened “despite the fact that the World Central Kitchen coordinated their movements with the Israeli military.”
“As the team was leaving a warehouse in Central Gaza after unloading shipments of food, they were hit by multiple precision Israeli drone strikes,” Colbert explained. “They were riding in three vehicles including two armored cars carrying the World Central Kitchen logo on the roof.”
Colbert the called out Netanyahu directly for not showing remorse for the “mistake,” calling it something that “just happens in war time.”
“Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims it was a mistake, but he wasn’t exactly apologetic,” Colbert said. “Nothing just happens. You are responsible. If your answer is ‘This happens in war, then maybe, consider ending the war,” he added.
“This is not an isolated incident,” Colbert continued. “On top of the thousands and thousands of innocent lives that have been lost, more than 200 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began. As many of you know, the World Central Kitchen is near and dear to my heart. It was founded by our friend Chef José Andrés to bring food to hungry people after natural disasters and in war zones,” highlighting Andrés’ op-ed, titled “Let People Eat,” in the New York Times.
“The World Central Kitchen doesn’t take sides. In this conflict, World Central Kitchen has delivered 1.75 million hot meals in Israel and 43 million meals in Gaza,” Colbert said. “But now, because of this air strike, all of their operations in Gaza are suspended, and that threatens to worsen the level of hunger and malnutrition in Gaza.”
He concluded, “Whatever you think should happen in Israel and Gaza, I hope we can all agree, that people should be allowed to eat.”
