New Poll: U.S. Support For Israel Erodes, 68% Back Ceasefire

AP Photo/Abed Khaled

A new Reuters poll indicates U.S. public support for Israel in its war against Hamas over the Gaza region has fallen as a majority now back a ceasefire.

According to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, only 32% of respondents agreed that the U.S. should back Israel, a drop of nearly 10 points from a month ago when the conflict first started.

In early October, Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel, killing 1,200 civilians and taking over 200 individuals hostage. Israel responded by launching airstrikes against the militant group and invading Gaza. 

As noted by Reuters, more than 11,000 Palestinians have died since the start of Israel’s invasion with approximately children accounting for about 40% of the deaths, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. The crisis has sparked worldwide protests and calls for a ceasefire from political leaders in Europe and the United States.

Moreover, 68% of those surveyed said they agreed that “Israel should call a ceasefire and try to negotiate.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated his government is not open to discussions on a ceasefire.

Respondents were also more likely to support sending weapons to help Ukraine fight Russia but not Israel. Per Reuters:

In a potentially worrisome sign for Israel, just 31% of poll respondents said they supported sending Israel weapons, while 43% opposed the idea. The rest said they were unsure. Support for sending Israel weapons was strongest among Republicans, while roughly half of Democrats were opposed.

By comparison, 41% of people answering the poll said they backed sending weapons to Ukraine in its fight against a nearly 21-month-old Russian invasion, compared to 32% who were opposed and the rest unsure. When it came to Ukraine, support for sending weapons was stronger among Democrats.

The online survey involved responses from over 1,000 U.S. adults with a margin of error of 4%.