Gallup poll: Just 32% of Americans approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza

Americans’ approval for Israel’s war in Gaza is at an all-time low, with just 32% supporting the effort, according to new polling from Gallup.

The new polling follows 21 months of war in Gaza, which began after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 civilians and taking more than 200 hostage.

According to Gallup, Americans supported Israel’s war immediately after the attack, but since then, U.S. disapproval has outpaced approval in every poll.

Gallup’s new survey, conducted July 7-21, found a 10% decrease in U.S. approval from September 2024, the last time the polling firm collected data on the topic.

U.S. approval for Israel’s handling of the Gaza war is split sharply down party lines: Republicans are firmly in Israel’s camp, while support among Democrats and independents has tanked.

According to the poll, 71% of Republicans approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, the same percentage as when the war started in 2023. Approval among Republicans has remained strong throughout the war, with percentages dipping in March and September last year, according to Gallup. At their lowest level, 66% of Republicans approved of Israel’s conduct in the war.

Democrats and independents oppose Israel’s actions, with Gallup recording a steady decline in support for Israel’s war efforts in both groups since 2023. Just 8% of Democrats and 25% of independents now approve of Israel’s Gaza war, the lowest support level for each group.

Support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also sharply divided along party lines, according to Gallup’s polling. Only 9% of Democrats and 19% of independents hold a favorable view of the prime minister compared to 67% of Republicans.

Overall, 52% of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of Mr. Netanyahu, the first time the prime minister has seen majority disapproval among Americans.

Mr. Netanyahu’s seemingly friendly relationship with President Trump may have significantly hurt his support among non-Republicans. Support for the prime minister has declined dramatically since Mr. Trump took office this year, with independents showing an 11% drop in support.

Support for Israel’s war against Iran was slightly higher among all three groups. Gallup found that 12% of Democrats supported the war, compared to 31% of independents and 78% of Republicans.

Clear divisions over the war in Gaza come as the U.S. tries to broker a peace between Israel and Hamas. The two sides agreed to a ceasefire shortly before Mr. Trump was set to take office in January, which saw the beginning of hostage and prisoner exchanges. However, Israel launched surprise attacks on Gaza in March, reigniting hostilities

The civilian death toll and destruction in Gaza have polarized international opinion on the war. Those in the U.S. who oppose Israel’s war have accused the Israeli Defense Forces of bombing Gaza indiscriminately and expanding the number of civilian casualties.

The Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and Hamas fighters, reported on July 29 that at least 60,000 Gazans have been killed and another 145,870 wounded since the start of the war.

Israeli supporters assert that the IDF does not target civilians and that Hamas places its own people in harm’s way. Additionally, some have argued that the ratio of civilian to combatant deaths is far lower than those recorded in other modern combat zones.

Israel has remained adamant in refusing to end the war unless Hamas is eradicated and all of the hostages are returned. About 50 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza.