A new survey conducted by Harvard and Harris has revealed that nearly one-quarter of American voters support Hamas over Israel in the war in Gaza.
The poll, conducted between January 15-16, 2025, sampled 2,650 registered voters and found that 21 per cent of respondents sided with the Palestinian group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US State Department.
The survey revealed stark divisions in American public opinion, particularly across party lines. Among Democrats, 75 per cent expressed support for Israel, while 25 per cent were more inclined to back Hamas.
Republican voters displayed overwhelming support for Israel, with 81 per cent in favour, though 19 per cent still expressed some level of backing for Hamas.
Support for the group was more prominent among younger voters aged 25 to 34, where roughly one-third of respondents favoured Hamas over Israel.
The Harvard and Harris poll also found that many Americans credit former President Donald Trump‘s administration for brokering the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
A majority of respondents (57 per cent) believed Trump’s diplomatic efforts were responsible for the truce, compared to 43 per cent who credited outgoing President Biden. This division was more relevant among Republican voters, with 84 per cent attributing the ceasefire to Trump’s negotiations, while only 25 per cent of Democrats agreed.
Trump’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has often been characterised by strong support for Israeli policies, including his administration’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
In a statement following the ceasefire, he described the agreement as “the first step toward lasting peace in the Middle East”. However, his legacy in the Middle East also includes policies that have been widely criticised, such as his decision to unilaterally scrap sanctions on Israeli settler groups in the occupied West Bank.
Trump’s transitional team has also reportedly floated the idea of deporting Palestinians in Gaza to Indonesia as part of reconstruction efforts in the enclave in a post-war plan.
