Americans Show Bipartisan Support for Assisting Gaza Civilians Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict
A Call for Help in Gaza
A bipartisan majority of Americans is urging the United States to aid in the evacuation of Palestinian civilians from the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. While support for Israel remains strong, the survey indicates growing concern for the safety of innocent Palestinians caught in the crossfire.
A Growing Consensus
The two-day poll, which concluded on Friday, revealed that 78% of respondents, including 94% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, believed that American diplomats should actively pursue a plan to relocate civilians fleeing the fighting in Gaza to a safe country. In contrast, 22% of respondents disagreed with this view.
Changing Dynamics
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has garnered more support for Israel’s position among Americans compared to a similar survey conducted in 2014. In the current poll, 41% of respondents agreed that the U.S. should support Israel, while only 2% favored supporting the Palestinians. In 2014, these figures stood at 22% and 2% respectively.
Political Divisions
Respondents identifying as Republicans showed stronger support for Israel’s position, with 54% backing it compared to 37% of Democrats. This divide highlights the ongoing tension within the Democratic party between pro-Israel moderates and progressive factions critical of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and its government’s policies.
Youthful Perspectives
Younger Americans expressed less support for Israel compared to their older counterparts. Among respondents under 40, only 20% backed supporting Israel, while 53% of older respondents favored it. Additionally, 40% of those under 40 believed the U.S. should act as a neutral mediator, double the percentage among those aged 40 and above.
Concern for Humanitarian Crisis
The poll results reflect the high level of empathy Americans feel for the plight of ordinary Palestinians in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. A significant majority, 81% of respondents, agreed that Israel should avoid killing civilians in its retaliatory strikes against Hamas, while only 19% disagreed.
Questioning Responsibility
When asked about the current conflict, 49% of respondents attributed the majority of responsibility to Hamas, while only 9% placed the blame on Israel. This finding underscores the challenges faced by U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in brokering peace and finding a resolution.
Little Confidence in Leadership
Despite their respective roles in the conflict, neither Biden nor Trump garnered high levels of trust from the poll respondents. Only 26% trusted Biden more to broker peace in the Middle East, while 32% placed their trust in Trump. The remaining respondents either expressed no trust in either leader or were unsure.
This online nationwide survey gathered responses from 1,003 U.S. adults and had a credibility interval of about four percentage points. The strong bipartisan support for helping Gaza civilians and the shifting dynamics in Americans’ views toward the conflict suggest a complex and evolving outlook on U.S. involvement in the region.
