There have been some key shifts.
The war between Israel and Hamas has been raging on for almost six months now — and Americans are still paying close attention to the violence. Two recent polls have shed some light on shifting attitudes toward the conflict.
Roughly 6 in 10 Americans say Israel has valid reasons for fighting, while significantly fewer said the same about Hamas, according to a survey by nonpartisan Pew Research Center published on March 21.
That said, these views aren’t so clear-cut. Another survey from Gallup published just last week found that a solid 55 percent of the U.S. disapproves of the way Israel is handling the situation in Gaza as civilian deaths continue to mount. There have been over 30,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and those who’ve survived are facing catastrophic levels of hunger due to the lack of aid.
As the conflict continues to make headlines around the world, we took a closer look at where most people now stand.
What Americans think about the Israel-Hamas War
According to Pew, about 58 percent of respondents said that Israel’s reasons for fighting Hamas are warranted following the group’s deadly attack on the country on Oct 7. 2023. By comparison, just 22 percent support Hamas’ reasons for fighting.
But it also depends on who you ask — 34 percent of younger adults, who are less likely to side with Israel, say Hamas’ reasons for fighting Israel are valid, compared to 30 percent who say they aren’t valid and another 35 percent who aren’t sure. By comparison, 64 percent of those ages 65 and older say Hamas’ actions aren’t justifiable.
The Pew poll also notably analyzed responses from groups more directly impacted by the fall-out. About 89 percent of Jewish Americans say Israel’s actions against Hamas are valid, setting aside how the government is going about fighting. Almost half — 49 percent — of Muslim Americans said the same for Hamas, regardless of how they feel about the Oct. 7 attack and whether it was acceptable.
Views on how they’re fighting
How the Israeli government responded to Hamas received more of a mixed reaction in the Pew poll: Just 38 percent of U.S. adults say Israel’s conduct has been acceptable, while 34 percent say it’s been unacceptable, and the remaining 26 percent are unsure.
These views have actually shifted over the last few months: Approval for Israel’s military action has dropped 14 points from 50 percent to 36 percent since November, according to a Gallup poll released on March 27. While the survey didn’t note a specific reason for this dip, it stated that “major parts of Gaza have been destroyed, complicating efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians still living there.”
Meanwhile, only 5 percent of U.S. adults say how Hamas carried out its Oct. 7 attack on Israel was acceptable, and 66 percent describe it as “completely unacceptable.”
The bottom line
Americans believe the way each side is handling the situation could make them potentially worse off. Just 22 percent think Israel will ultimately be more secure than it was before the war broke out. Some — 27 percent — actually think the conflict will make Israelis less secure and 15 percent say it won’t have much of an effect.
Similarly, only 10 percent think Hamas’ actions “will make the creation of an independent Palestinian state more likely than it was before the war.” Around 32 percent think it will actually make these prospects less likely and 15 percent don’t believe it will impact one way or the other.
As the war continues and more information comes to light, these views are almost certain to change but they do reflect a key snapshot in time.
