Most Israelis support hostage deal to end Gaza war, new poll shows

A recent poll shows 59% of Israelis support an immediate hostage deal to end the Israel-Hamas war, with 33% opposing.

  Graphic depicting percentage of Israeli Jewish respondents that support an immediate hostage deal to end the war. (photo credit: JERUSALEM POST STAFF)
Graphic depicting percentage of Israeli Jewish respondents that support an immediate hostage deal to end the war.
(photo credit: JERUSALEM POST STAFF)

Some 59% of voters said that they support Israel making an immediate hostage deal that includes ending the Israel-Hamas war, according to an August poll released Wednesday by the Hostage Family Forum, conducted by the Midgam polling institute led by Mano Geva.

This is compared to 33% of all voters who oppose such a deal, with the rest undecided.

Among coalition voters, this support stood at 41% in favor, with 49% against, and the rest undecided.

Some 68% of the Israeli public polled thinks that the Israeli government should make a deal to bring back the hostages when asked: "What should Israel's government do now?"

This is compared to 23% of the population who answered that destroying Hamas is what the government should "do now."

 People look photographs of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, August 5, 2024.  (credit: CHAIM GOLDBEG/FLASH90)
People look photographs of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, August 5, 2024. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBEG/FLASH90)

Hostage deal over destroying Hamas

Among coalition voters, 52% said that a deal should be made before destroying Hamas, while 35% said Hamas should be destroyed first. The rest were undecided.

The forum said the poll was conducted on 504 Israelis, a representative sample of Israel's Jewish population.

According to previous polls released by the forum, public support for prioritizing a hostage deal over destroying Hamas was 72% in July and 67% in June, climbing from 46% in May.