Almost three quarters of Palestinians approve of Oct 7 attack

Almost three in four Palestinians believe the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel was correct, and more support Hamas than before the attack, a survey from the Palestinian Center for Policy Survey and Research (PCPSR) has found.

Seventy-two percent of respondents said they believed the Hamas decision to launch the cross-border rampage in southern Israel was "correct" given its outcome so far, while 22% said it was "incorrect".

The PCPSR found that, compared to pre-war polling, support for Hamas had risen in Gaza and more than tripled in the West Bank.

Fifty-two percent of Gazans and 85% of West Bank respondents – or 72% of Palestinian respondents overall – voiced satisfaction with the role of Hamas in the war. Only 11% of Palestinians voiced satisfaction with PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

The widespread approval came in spite of the mass casualties from the resulting Israel-Hamas war. The Gazan health ministry this week published the names of 34,344 Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks in the territory, including 169 babies.

The document does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, but includes 169 babies, 11,355 children and 2,955 people aged 60 or older.

Israeli officials question the death toll given by the authorities in Gaza, arguing that because Hamas controls the government there, Gaza’s health officials cannot provide reliable figures.

The poll of Palestinians was conducted in concert with a poll of Israelis by the International Program in Conflict Resolution and Mediation at Tel Aviv University.

Together the polls reveal unprecedented levels of fear and distrust, with about 90% of respondents on each side attributing extreme, maximalist aspirations to the other. Sixty-six percent of Jewish Israelis and 61% of Palestinians believe the other side wants to commit genocide against them, and an additional 27% of Jewish Israelis and 26% of Palestinians say the other side wants to conquer the land “from the river to the sea” and expel them.

Furthermore, a record-high 94% of Palestinians and 86% of Israelis say that the other side cannot be trusted.

The poll found some striking similarities between Israelis and Palestinians. For example, both sides believe that their victimisation is the worst compared to other peoples who have suffered from persecution, a view held by 84% of Jewish Israelis and 83% of Palestinians.

The survey also found that an overwhelming majority on both sides legitimise the use of violence against the other, with 81% of Palestinians justifying Hamas’ actions on October 7 as a reaction to the siege and blockade of the Gaza Strip, and 84% of Israelis justifying the war in Gaza as a response to October 7.

READ MORE

Poll shows mirror images of fear and distrust between Israelis and Palestinians (Times of Israel)

Poll shows Palestinians back Oct. 7 attack on Israel, support for Hamas rises (Reuters)

Gaza publishes identities of 34,344 Palestinians killed in war with Israel (Guardian)

Full poll (Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research)

RELATED STORIES

Children's toys shouldn't be taken': U.S. response to alleged IDF looting goes viral (Haaretz)  
A clip of the State Department spokesperson's response went viral, with users criticizing both the theft and the weak response. The journalist referred to a ten-day Israeli army raid in the Jenin refugee camp that left 21 dead.

Harris: U.S. used military aid as leverage on Israel during war, Gaza cannot be re-occupied (Haaretz)  
'There is some leverage we've used,' the Democratic presidential nominee said, addressing criticisms of the Biden administration. She added that any post-war scenario in Gaza must not include an Israeli reoccupation or changes to territorial boundaries.

What do Jews in the UK think about Israel and its leaders, and how has this changed since October 7? (JPR)
British Jews are showing growing pessimism about Israel’s future alongside significant disapproval of the current Israeli leadership.