Poll reveals 53% of Israelis are against aid going to Gaza

A Channel 13 poll found that 53% of Israeli participants are against humanitarian aid entering Gaza, despite the conditions worsening in the Palestinian territory, Middle East Eye reported on May 21st.

The findings come against a backdrop of the UN sounding the alarm over a hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian citizens of Israel were also included in the survey, which constitute over 20% of Israel’s population. This reportedly implies that the amount of Israelis being against aid entering Gaza could be significantly more.

In response to the poll, Palestinian-Israeli parliamentarian Ayman Odeh, said on X: “I don’t want to imagine the outcome without the Arab citizens. I don’t want to explain the survey results to my children.”

Another poll, published on January 18th, showed that 73% of Israelis support the prisoner swap and ceasefire with Hamas, according to Anadolu Agency.

The survey indicated 45% strongly endorsed the pact and 28% somewhat agreed, raising total approval to 73% of Israelis. However, 19% of Israelis rejected the deal, and 8% stayed neutral.

The survey found 91% of opposition voters in Israel back the agreement, and 52% from Israel’s coalition government approved it. However,  37% of voters from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc rejected the deal.

While Israeli voters remain divided on the agreement, polls also show a marked shift in American views on Israel amid the Gaza conflict.

On April 9th, a survey found that most Americans hold an unfavourable view of Israel, reflecting Gaza war fallout.

A Pew Research poll indicated that 53% of Americans regard Israel negatively, compared to 42% in March 2022. This shift follows the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s continued operations in Gaza, Middle East Eye reported on April 9th.

About 46% of Americans believed a peaceful two-state resolution is still attainable, with most people disagreeing. President Donald Trump’s stance on the conflict and his comments on Palestinian relocation received divided feedback. Just 31% of participants said Trump favours Israel excessively, while only 29% thought he shows neutral leadership. Most Americans opposed Trump’s proposal to “take over Gaza,” with 62% against it and just 15% in favour.

Middle East Eye, Anadolu Agency