In the year that followed the October 7 Massacre and Israel's subsequent response in Gaza, public opinion in the United States on the Israel-Hamas War has seen modest shifts, with American support for Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel's war against Hamas seeing some growing strain, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The survey, which polled 9,680 US adults from September 16 to 22, 2024, revealed continually evolving views on the Israel-Hamas War and the United States' role in its diplomatic resolution.
One of the survey's key findings is the increase in Americans supporting diplomatic intervention. As of September 2024, 61% of US adults believe the United States should play a role in resolving the war, marking a notable rise from 55% in February.
Public opinion on Israel's war against Hamas has also shifted slightly.
A total of 31% of respondents now feel that the IDF's action in Gaza is going too far, which has increased from 27% in December 2023.
However, a larger portion of Americans (36%) remain unsure, a four-percent increase from 32% last year.
Is Arab-Israeli peace possible? Americans not confident
Concerns about the war spreading to other countries in the region remain high, with 44% of Americans extremely or very concerned about the possibility of a broader regional conflict.
Additionally, 40% of respondents expressed similar concerns about the US becoming more directly involved in the fighting.
US public opinion on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reflected more Americans having little or no confidence in his ability to handle global affairs.
Some 52% of respondents expressed doubts about Netanyahu, while only 31% said they were confident in him.
The survey depicts a significant divide, with half of Republicans expressing confidence in Netanyahu, compared to just 14% of Democrats. These views, however, have remained relatively consistent since April 2024.
Looking ahead, pessimism about the prospect of peace between Israelis and Palestinians persists. Only 4% of Americans believe that lasting peace is extremely likely.
The data was collected before some significant developments in the ongoing Middle East conflict, such as Israel's assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran's ballistic missile strike on Israel.