Protesters held another “day of disruption” across Israel on Wednesday to urge the government to accept a ceasefire to end the Gaza war after almost two years of fighting.
However, the government appears determined to push ahead with plans for a military assault on Gaza City despite the fact that a majority of the public oppose the move.
Most people believe Israel should endorse the partial ceasefire, already accepted by Hamas, that would see about half the living and dead hostages released in return for a 60-day truce, during which talks would take place on a permanent end to the war.
A poll published on Wednesday by the Israel Democracy Institute’s (IDI) Viterbi Centre for Public Opinion and Policy Research found that 62 per cent of Jewish Israelis and 81 per cent of Arab Israelis support a deal that would include the release of all Israeli hostages, the cessation of hostilities and the complete withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Forty-eight hostages are held by Hamas, of whom 20 are believed to be alive.
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Looking at political orientation among Jews, a large majority on the left (92 per cent) and centre (77 per cent) support such a deal, while the right is more divided, with slightly more in favour (47 per cent) than opposed (44 per cent).
A plurality of Jewish Israelis (49 per cent) support the decision to expand military operations in Gaza, while the overwhelming majority of Arab Israelis (81.5 per cent) oppose this decision (total sample: 42 per cent support/ 49 per cent oppose).
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IDI’s Prof Tamar Hermann explained: “There is a substantial share of Israelis who support a hostage deal that involves a full withdrawal from Gaza while also saying they support the expansion of fighting in Gaza. This is due to the context-specific nature of each question – many Israelis prioritise bringing the hostages home even at a great cost, but if a deal cannot be struck they support the expansion of operations in Gaza.”
Weekly protests have occurred throughout the duration of the war by relatives of the hostages and their supporters aimed at keeping efforts to bring the hostages home the number-one priority. The hostages remain in the public discourse, with many news shows opening with a sentence reminding viewers and listeners how many hostages remain in captivity and for how many days.
The political reality, however, is that prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu faces political constraints: the two far-right parties in his coalition oppose ending the war before “total victory” is achieved and have threatened to quit government if Israel agrees to a ceasefire. Such a move would likely force new elections.
Demonstrations calling for an end to the Gaza war were initially organised by marginal left-wing groups and were held separately from the protests by the hostages’ families but recently the two have merged as the belief that Mr Netanyahu’s government was blocking a ceasefire gained traction.
However, the desire of a majority of Israelis to end the war is, for the most part, unrelated to the devastating impact the conflict has had on the Gaza population.
“Israelis are completely consumed with the hostages. It is front and centre; it’s everywhere. The country is flooded with hostage symbols: signs, slogans, pins. Everyone wears a pin, including the prime minister,” explained Dahlia Scheindlin, one of Israel’s leading pollsters, in a recent interview. “The second thing they’re consumed with is the fate of their sons, brothers, husbands, fathers who are serving in Gaza.”
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The fate of the Gaza population, the reports of civilian fatalities and starvation – so prominent in the world media – are hardly a factor in the Israeli discourse, where the narrative remains among most people that Hamas is responsible for all the suffering in Gaza.
Opinion polls reflect this sentiment. A survey last month by the Hebrew University’s aChord research institute found that 62 per cent of Israelis believe “there are no innocent people in Gaza”. At the same time 59 per cent of all respondents, and 69 per cent of Jewish Israelis, said they believed the IDF were making efforts to avoid harming civilians.
A recent survey by the IDI found that 47 per cent of all Israelis felt that reports of starvation in Gaza were probably lies and made up. Another 18 per cent agreed with the statement: “Even if it’s true, I’m not bothered by it.” Only 23 per cent said there was starvation and said they cared. Twelve per cent had no opinion.
A commonly expressed view among Israelis is that it is difficult for them to feel empathy for people in Gaza following the atrocities of the October 7th, 2023, Hamas attacks, some of which were carried out by civilians who crossed the border. The harrowing tales from those released from captivity merely reinforced the lack of empathy.
These attitudes have also led to dwindling support for the peace camp.
A Pew poll earlier this year showed that just 16 per cent of Jewish Israelis believe peaceful coexistence with a Palestinian state is possible, the lowest percentage since the pollsters began asking the question in 2013.
