Dave Chappelle has found himself caught in the crosshairs of controversy for sharing his thoughts on the timely, divisive, and sensitive topic of the Israel-Hamas war. For two weeks, the bloodshed taking place in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank has dominated international news coverage. The densely populated region has been the location of ongoing attacks since Oct. 7.

Across social media platforms, horrific footage and photos of the devastation caused by airstrikes and bombings can be seen. Chappelle, who is known for his social commentary as much as his jokes, performed two shows, one on Thursday (Oct. 19) and a second on Friday (Oct. 20), at the TD Garden in Boston.

According to The Wall Street Journal, on Thursday, he “criticized what he said were war crimes in Gaza” after a blockade was enacted, causing Gazans to lose access to resources like water. He also claimed the US was in support of the aforementioned crimes and condemned the Hamas movement for its approach to fighting for Palestine to become free of Israeli control.

As previously reported by REVOLT, President Joe Biden faced backlash after pledging $100 million in aid to Gaza and the West Bank. He addressed the outrage on Twitter. “Let me make myself clear: The vast majority of Palestinians are not Hamas. And Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people,” stated Biden.

The comic also allegedly stated that students should be able to show their support for Palestine. His comment comes on the heels of three Ivy League pupils losing job offers from a prominent law firm in New York after showing support for Hamas, reports Fox News.

Chappelle’s remarks reportedly fueled outbursts from those in the audience and a walkout. Toward the end of his show, he is said to have acknowledged that “two wrongs don’t make a right” in regard to Israel and Hamas’ courses of action. In the recent past, the entertainer caught flak for his commentary regarding the LGBTQ+ community. His 2021 Netflix special The Closer spurred an onslaught of criticism and attempts to cancel him for wisecracks about trans individuals.