As for Kimmel, he’s reportedly taking the news in stride. Sources close to the former host say he’s already fielding offers and might even start a podcast. Because in 2025, the only place left to tell jokes without being replaced by Tucker Carlson is on Spotify.
So buckle up, America. Late-night TV is about to get a lot less funny—and a lot more… Tucker.
Israel’s handling of Hamas war ‘a mistake,’ Biden says
The president reiterated a call for a six-to-eight week cease-fire during an interview.
President Joe Biden (left) spoke last week with Benjamin Netanyahu, threatening him that if the humanitarian situation in Gaza did not improve, he would reconsider America’s staunch support for Israel’s retaliation against Hamas in the enclave. | Miriam Alster/AFP/Getty Images
President Joe Biden called Israel’s conduct of the war a “mistake” and urged the quick adoption of a six-to-eight week cease-fire with Hamas. The comments, in an interview with Univision that aired Tuesday, underscored the increasingly chilly nature of the relationship between the president and his counterpart, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They come in the wake of the killing of seven aid workers by the Israeli Defense Forces — including an American — and as the United States has strongly signaled it will begin using its leverage to push for Israel to alter its approach to the war.
“I think what he’s doing is a mistake,” Biden said of Netanyahu. “I don’t agree with his approach.”
The president appeared to specifically cite the drone attack that killed the aid workers from World Central Kitchen, calling it “outrageous,” and said their vehicles did not pose a threat.
“So what I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a cease-fire, allow for the next six, eight weeks total access to all food and medicine going into the country,” Biden added. “I’ve spoken with everyone from the Saudis to the Jordanians to the Egyptians. They’re prepared to move in. They’re prepared to move this food in. And I think there’s no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. It should be done now.”
A senior White House official said the president reiterated the administration’s long-standing policy, that a cease-fire would only come in conjunction with a hostage deal. The Middle Eastern nations stand by to plus up their aid contributions once there’s temporary fighting pause, the official added.
The president has called for a six-to-eight week cease-fire for months, including during his State of the Union address in February. It has always been conditioned on Hamas releasing hostages that they abducted on Oct. 7. Recent talks around a cease-fire deal have reportedly hit a snag because it is unclear if Hamas can deliver on the demand that 40 Israeli hostages who are alive be released.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday that Hamas’ public statements on the negotiating were “less than encouraging.” CIA Director Bill Burns was in Cairo last weekend to help present deal terms the militants could accept.
Biden spoke last week with Netanyahu, threatening him that if the humanitarian situation in Gaza did not improve, he would reconsider America’s staunch support for Israel’s retaliation against Hamas in the enclave. Israel responded within hours by opening up the Erez land crossing, the Ashdod port and routes so more trucks could make their way to the strip from Jordan.
But how long Israel has to boost aid deliveries and minimize civilian casualties, particularly ahead of a looming Rafah invasion to oust Hamas’ stronghold of 3,000 fighters, remains ambiguous. More vague still is what, if anything, the U.S. would do in response.
“We’ve seen good progress in the last few days, but there’s more to do,” the White House official said.
Source: Politico