‘Not a punchline’: 15 dehumanising quotes on Gaza atrocities by US figures

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US commentator Van Jones has apologised for making a gag astir killed Palestinian babies, but helium is not unsocial erstwhile it comes to insensitive comments astir Gaza’s children.

Published On 7 Oct 2025

Washington, DC – CNN commentator Van Jones has been facing backlash for making a crass gag astir Palestinian children killed by Israel.

During an quality connected Real Time With Bill Maher connected HBO connected Friday, Jones claimed without grounds that young radical successful the United States are being manipulated by Iran and Qatar done societal media to attraction astir the carnage successful Gaza.

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“If you are a young person, you are opening up your phone, and each you spot is dormant Gaza baby, dormant Gaza baby, dormant Gaza baby, Diddy, dormant Gaza baby, dormant Gaza baby,” helium said, arsenic the assemblage erupted successful laughter.

Making airy of the much than 20,000 Palestinian children killed by Israel and invoking the wrapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has been progressive successful a sex maltreatment scandal, for comedic effect, sparked outrage against Jones.

The commentator – who has spoken astatine pro-Israel rallies – subsequently apologised.

“The suffering of the radical of Gaza — particularly the children — is not a punch line. I’m profoundly atrocious it came crossed that way,” Jones wrote connected societal media.

But Jones – who served arsenic an advisor to erstwhile President Barack Obama – did not notation who is down the suffering of Palestinians, nor did helium locomotion backmost his baseless assertion of a “disinformation” campaign.

Jones’s comments were the latest successful a agelong past of efforts to dehumanise Palestinians successful the US.

Al Jazeera looks astatine 15 statements by US politicians, commentators and celebrities since the commencement of the warfare connected Gaza 2 years agone that called for wide unit against Palestinians, painted them arsenic inherently evil oregon dismissed Israeli atrocities – including the sidesplitting of children – arsenic a justified necessity of war:

Congressman Brian Mast: “I don’t deliberation we would truthful lightly propulsion astir the word ‘innocent Nazi civilians’ during World War II. It is not a acold agelong to accidental determination are precise fewer guiltless Palestinian civilians.”

Congressman Max Miller: “We’re going to crook that [Palestine] into a parking lot.”

Congressman Andy Ogles: “I deliberation we should kill them all.”

Congressman Randy Fine: “Release the hostages. Until then, starve away.”

Congressman Tim Walberg: “We shouldn’t beryllium spending a dime connected humanitarian aid. It [Gaza] should beryllium similar Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it implicit quick.”

Senator Tom Cotton: “Israel doesn’t request patronising lectures astir civilian casualties. As acold arsenic I’m concerned, Israel tin bounce the rubble successful Gaza.”

Senator Lindsey Graham: “We are successful a spiritual warfare here, I americium with Israel. Whatever the hellhole you person to bash to support yourself; level the place.”

Former President Joe Biden: “I person nary conception that the Palestinians are telling the information astir however galore radical are killed. I’m definite innocents person been killed, and it’s the terms of waging a war.”

Former President Bill Clinton: “Hamas makes definite that they’re shielded. They’ll unit you to termination civilians if you privation to support yourself.”

Former White House spokesperson John Kirby: “Being honorable astir the information that determination person been civilian casualties and that determination apt volition beryllium much is being honorable – due to the fact that that’s what warfare is.”

Former statesmanlike campaigner Nikki Haley: “Finish them.” (Written connected an Israeli bomb)

Atlantic Magazine writer Graeme Wood: “It is imaginable to termination children legally, if for illustration 1 is being attacked by an force who hides down them.”

Singer Kid Rock: “I don’t disagree with what Israel is doing. It’s similar they should conscionable spell successful determination and beryllium like, ‘You cognize what, we privation our hostages back. If we don’t person them back, the timepiece starts now. In 24 hours, we are gonna commencement bombing m************, and sidesplitting civilians, 30,000 to 40,000 a f****** time’.”

Actor and shaper James Woods: “No ceasefire. No compromise. No forgiveness. #KillThemAll”.

Fox News commentator Jesse Watters: “This colonisation successful Palestine is hostile, it’s uneducated. It’s adjacent much radicalised than they were astatine the opening of this. I mean, now, they person nary homes astatine all. They’re adjacent much hateful of the Israelis. And their birthrate is explosive.”

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