Most (67%) Americans believe Israel should continue its military efforts in Gaza until Hamas is defeated and the hostages are released, according to a new HarrisX poll commissioned by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP).
The survey also found that more than eight in ten Americans expressed their belief that Israel has a responsibility to protect its citizens and strike back when necessary.
The survey, conducted online from November 11-12 among 1,331 US adults, revealed significant support for Israel's efforts to combat Hamas and highlighted a condemnation of the terrorist organization.
Overwhelming support for Israel's actions
A remarkable 82% of respondents expressed their support for Israel sending troops into Gaza to attempt to free hostages and eliminate the Hamas terrorist threat. This sentiment reflects a strong belief among Americans in Israel's right to protect its citizens and take action against those who pose a threat to its security.
A significant majority of Americans held Hamas responsible for the humanitarian challenges in Gaza. Eight in 10 respondents believed that Hamas is primarily responsible for putting civilians in Gaza in harm's way, and a staggering 77% of Americans believed that Hamas triggered the humanitarian crisis in the region. Additionally, 83% of respondents felt that Hamas is using the Palestinian people as human shields, further underlining the condemnation of the group's tactics.
Solidarity with Israel and foreign aid
The survey revealed that 76% of Americans feel a special connection with Israel, believing that the two countries share common values. Furthermore, 58% of voters expressed their support for the $14 billion aid package under consideration in Congress, showing a willingness to provide assistance to Israel during these challenging times.
Other findings show that Half of the US public is not aware of the recent 4-hour humanitarian ceasefires introduced by Israel, but a large majority support them. Only 47% knew of the ceasefires, while 82% supported them. In addition, 65% of Americans think that Israel respects the rights of religious and ethnic minorities such as Christians and Arabs.
This survey comes as tens of thousands of Americans from diverse backgrounds join the "March for Israel" at the National Mall on Tuesday. JFNA president and CEO Eric D. Fingerhut highlighted the importance of this event, stating, "The March for Israel will send a message to the world that Americans overwhelmingly support Israel, are ready to stand up against antisemitism, and express support for efforts to free the hostages."
CoP CEO William Daroff emphasized, "People from all across the country are joining our calls to combat antisemitism and support the immediate and safe release of hostages held by Hamas terrorists. That is what the March for Israel is all about."
The survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.