New poll shows Israeli Jews prefer to continue war in Gaza until Hamas has been dismantled – even if it means giving up on reaching a hostage deal.
By World Israel News Staff
Israeli Jews prefer continuing the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip until Hamas has been dismantled, a new poll shows, even if that means foregoing a deal which could secure the return of the 48 hostages held in the coastal enclave.
On Sunday, the Jewish People Policy Institute released the findings of its latest Voice of the Jewish People Index, tracking opinions among American and Israeli Jews.
According to the poll, a plurality of Israeli Jews (46%) want the IDF to continue fighting in Gaza until Hamas has been dismantled, prioritizing Hamas’ defeat over a possible hostage deal. Forty-three percent preferred reaching a deal to bring back the hostages, even if it means leaving Hamas in place in Gaza, while 10% had no opinion.
American Jews, on the other hand, were more evenly divided, with 42% preferring Israel continue the war until Hamas has been defeated, compared to 43% who said they would rather see a hostage deal.
The survey also found a steady rise in the number of American Jews who believe Israel’s response to the October 7th invasion has been “too aggressive.”
In January 2024, 31% of American Jews held this view, compared to 47% today.
Among those who define themselves as “very liberal,” a record 69% said Israel’s response was “far too aggressive,” with another 16% saying it was “somewhat too aggressive.” Altogether, 85% of self-described “very liberal” American Jews view Israel’s response as overly aggressive.
In contrast to other polling data, the JPPI survey found American Jews largely skeptical of claims – pushed by the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry – of starvation in the Gaza Strip.
Over two-thirds (70%) said reports of starvation in Gaza are exaggerated, with 44% saying the reports are “greatly exaggerated.”
The JPPI survey also examined attitudes toward the United Nations, finding that 79% of respondents held a negative opinion of the U.N., including 61% who said their opinion of it was “very negative,” and 18% who said it was “somewhat negative.”
Forty percent of US Jews said that the recent move globally to recognize unilateral Palestinian statehood after October 7th was not only anti-Israel but also antisemitic, while 48% said the same of countries imposing sanctions on Israel.
When asked how they perceive Charlie Kirk, the pro-Israel conservative influencer assassinated at a Utah event last month, American Jews were heavily divided.
Two in five respondents identified Kirk as a friend of American Jews, 29% saw him as an adversary, 18% viewed him as neutral, and 16% were unsure.
The vast majority (79%) of ultra-Orthodox Jews said Kirk was a friend of American Jewry, as did 62% of Modern Orthodox Jews.
However, nearly half (41%) of Reform Jews said Kirk was an adversary.
The post Israelis back continuing war on Hamas over ceasefire appeared first on World Israel News.