Bassem Youssef, the Egyptian comedian and TV host, engaged in a fiery conversation with British TV host Piers Morgan, discussing the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Youssef’s impassioned remarks, laced with dark humor, quickly went viral on social media.
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In a widely-shared video, Piers Morgan asked Youssef about his perspective on the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel that occurred on October 7. Youssef, while acknowledging the severity of the assault, also emphasized the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the civilian casualties resulting from Israeli retaliatory airstrikes.
Great interview with Bassem Youssef! 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/sllQpoETfV
— Maged Eladawy (@magedbik) October 17, 2023
Youssef shares a personal experience of his wife’s relatives’ house being bombed in Gaza. With a touch of sarcasm, he remarks, “It’s very repetitive. We are used to that. It’s just like those Palestinians are very dramatic, ‘Oh, Israel is killing us.’ But they never die. They always come back. They are very difficult to kill. I know because I’m married to one. I tried many times but couldn’t kill.”
He humorously suggested that his wife used their kids as “human shields,” playfully reinforcing the persistence of Palestinian resilience.
He further discussed the controversial remarks of conservative columnist and commentator Ben Shapiro, who appeared on Morgan’s show, suggesting that the solution to the Israel-Gaza conflict is for Israel to annex Gaza and kill many people to prevent such events from happening again. Youssef questions how many more people need to be killed for Shapiro to be satisfied with the situation.
The satirist further highlighted what he saw as the anomaly of Israel warning civilians before bombings, a practice he humorously described as “cute.” Youssef advocated for eradicating Hamas terrorists but also raised questions about the deaths of Palestinians in the West Bank, where there is no Hamas presence, emphasizing the need to avoid harming innocent people.
Youssef criticizes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and questions the allocation of resources, mentioning the money provided to Israel and the consequences of the military actions in Gaza. He challenges the government’s approach to the situation.
Many netizens appreciated the comedian for being vocal about his stance while being sarcastic.
“if you don’t want to hear my opinion then I can just condemn hamas and go home” this man was a genius. this interview has already earned its place in history damn. bassem youssef ate piers morgan in every possible term. https://t.co/uz6Kg9AdZ6
— desiburgerbacha (@shortiekiddo28) October 18, 2023
They have nothing to say. You conveyed your message with intelligence, It was an absolute legend, champo 👏🏻@Byoussef https://t.co/sfDvRIN6B6
— 𝚁𝙰𝚉𝙰𝙽 (@_RazanM_) October 18, 2023
Absolutely legendary performance here. Piers got smoked 2 days in a row. He’s a Zionist sympathiser. https://t.co/51JJzzVZJC
— Luffy 🇸🇴 (@StrawHatShonen) October 18, 2023
Bassem has invented a new term to be added in English: THE CUTE WARNING!!!
The only army in the world that do it is Tsahal!!
Results : more than 900 died in one bombing!!!
Thanks Bassem https://t.co/vF6UIcjwia— H.E.A 🇲🇦 & 🇺🇲 (@halloussi) October 18, 2023
This should be the stance for everyone. If anyone approaches you saying, ‘Condemn Hamas; this is a war against Hamas not Palestine,’ and mocks your intellect by doing so, respond to them like this: https://t.co/iuYGBQIQpH
— Abdurrahim Boynukalın (@A_Boynukalin) October 18, 2023
On the other hand, another American stand-up comedian and actress, Amy Schumer, stirred controversy with her recent Instagram Story post regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. In her post, Schumer addressed an incident where an “Islamic Jihad missile” allegedly killed hundreds of innocent Palestinians in a Gaza hospital. She accused major Western news outlets of publishing propaganda lies and spreading antisemitic misinformation by initially blaming Israel without fact-checking.
Schumer demanded the firing of the editors of prominent news outlets such as BBC News, CNN, Sky News, and the New York Times for their mistakes. She urged people to hold the media accountable for the “lies” they disseminate.
Amy Schumer’s political stances have drawn criticism, with some suggesting her views are influenced by her relative, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer. The actress has been vocal about the Israel-Palestine conflict since it began on October 7.
Schumer’s Instagram story highlighted her concerns about the media’s handling of information related to the conflict and their alleged bias. The controversial post generated backlash online, with many expressing their disapproval of her political positions.
Lol even Amy Schumer wants journo scalps!
I fear these are end times. pic.twitter.com/i7CZNPcymL
— Coddled affluent professional (@feelsdesperate) October 18, 2023
Never knew Amy Schumer was this dumb. pic.twitter.com/0ZjMpXFhdN
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) October 18, 2023
are we all forgetting amy schumer is related to chuck schumer of the government who just approved sending $8 bil to israel
— i miss succession (@meowmaoist) October 17, 2023
it feels antisemitic that amy schumer and chuck schumer are related
— jeff 🥞 (@experience_jeff) October 16, 2023
In conclusion, these instances reflect the diverse and often polarizing perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict, with comedians and public figures using their platforms to address the ongoing situation in different ways. The conflict, which began on October 7, has led to numerous casualties and displaced populations in the Gaza Strip, further intensifying the discussions and debates surrounding the issue.
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