The current situation in Gaza reveals a significant decline in support for the October 7 attack by Hamas, according to a recent poll of Palestinians in the enclave, as conditions deteriorate after nearly a year of war.
The results of the poll, conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, indicate that in March, 71 percent of Palestinians in Gaza surveyed believed that Hamas’ decision to launch the October 7 attack was justified. That figure fell to just 39 percent in the latest survey conducted this month.
The poll, conducted every three months since September last year, surveyed 410 people across Gaza in 41 locations, a smaller sample than in the March survey. The researchers also surveyed 790 people in the West Bank. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percent.
Conducting such a survey during wartime is obviously extremely difficult, as the pollsters have pointed out. The Center noted that the interviews were conducted in areas where there was no ongoing daily fighting.
The survey’s picture reveals a bleak reality in the Gaza Strip, with just under a third of respondents saying they have enough food. Of those surveyed, 57 percent say a family member has been killed in the war. A growing number of Gazans, nearly half, believe that neither Hamas nor Israel will emerge victorious from this conflict.
Support for Hamas as a political party in Gaza has also fallen, but has remained relatively stable throughout the war. With almost no viable political rival, Hamas remains the most popular political actor there: 35 percent of respondents in Gaza said they support Hamas, down from a peak of 42 percent in December.
This survey highlights the challenges faced by the population of Gaza and the changing perceptions towards Hamas in this context. The figures revealed invite a deep reflection on the humanitarian and political consequences of this conflict that continues to mark the lives of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.