In a recent episode of his show, late-night host John Oliver exposed the shifting narrative around the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza. He provided a heartbreaking account of the man-made famine that has settled in its wake. This catastrophic reality, characterized by mass starvation and obliteration, has continued for more than a year. Denial and fear still dominate conversations about Palestine in the U.S.
Oliver’s clip opened by touching upon the horrific humanitarian crisis the people of Gaza currently face. He explained, “Gaza is in a state of starvation. Here’s what he emphasized—this objectively true statement is dangerously misleading to the public due to its passive voice construction. He said, the famine should not be viewed as an unfortunate byproduct of the persisting civil war. Instead, he says it’s a dangerous false step that hardens the developing international consensus that genocide is taking place.
The poetics of reports writing of starvation “stalking Gaza” emerge when conditions have turned the landscape into a warzone tableau. A CBS video from December highlighted that “hunger spreads virtually everywhere in Gaza amid Israel-Hamas war,” further illustrating the extent of the crisis. The region has been left desolate, inviting a parallel storm of international human rights condemnations. They argue that the Israeli government is responsible for genocide.
This is further complicated by the climate of fear that has made significant discourse on Palestine taboo. Many individuals feel apprehensive about speaking out on the issue due to the potential backlash against those who criticize Israel. This chilling atmosphere is perhaps most sharply seen in the denial of the Gaza-related atrocity across the U.S. and beyond, shutting down public discourse and suppressing awareness.
Jon Stewart, another major player in the late-night world, has been equally vociferous on the treatment of Gaza. He expressed his sentiments about the crisis, stating, “I have a moral clarity about what I’m seeing.” Stewart detailed the emotional weight of seeing what he described as “inhumane and horrific” conditions. He decried the culture of fear that has created an environment where open discussion is suppressed.
The larger conversations about Gaza have focused on what the fallout of decisions made inside the Israeli political complex mean for the region. We have long heard the reports of plans for the mass, forced displacement of Palestinians as a means of creating the perfect Jewish state. These discoveries have only escalated demands for accountability and transparency with respect to the activities being undertaken in the pernicious and protracted conflict.
The cumulative effect of these conversations goes far beyond TV sets and tweeting feeds. Commentators like Stephen Colbert, who proudly defended free speech on college campuses, point out that students absolutely still have the right to protest peacefully. Colbert stated, “Even if you don’t agree with the subject of their protests, as long as they are peaceful, students should be allowed to protest. It’s their first amendment right.”
When courageous public figures like Oliver and Stewart shine a spotlight on pressing issues, it creates an opportunity. They raise critical issues of ethics, human rights, and accountability in armed conflict. They aren’t afraid to tell you truths you might not want to hear. This pushes audiences to confront messy truths that dominant stories usually force us to forget.