A Survey Indicates Decreased Support Among Palestinians for Hamas's October 7 Attack on Israel

According to a survey published on Tuesday, September 18, the majority of Gaza residents believe that Hamas's decision to launch the attack on October 7, which led to devastating Israeli assaults on Gaza, was incorrect. The survey, conducted in mid-September by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR), shows that 57% of respondents in Gaza opposed the attack, while 39% supported it. This is the first time since the October 7 attack that a majority of respondents in Gaza consider the decision to be wrong. In a previous survey, 57% of respondents supported the attack. Although the same survey in the West Bank indicated that 64% of respondents supported the attack, the level of support in the West Bank has also decreased. PSR interviewed 790 people in the West Bank and 410 people in Gaza face-to-face, reporting a margin of error of 3.5%. In all previous surveys conducted by this center, respondents had supported the attack, and this is the first time that the survey findings show a significant decrease in the desirability of the attack and expectations for Hamas's victory simultaneously in both Gaza and the West Bank. Overall, in two surveys, a majority of 54% of respondents (in Gaza and the West Bank) still consider the decision to attack on October 7 to be correct. In August, the Israeli army accused Hamas of falsifying PSR survey results but stated that there is no evidence of PSR's collaboration with Hamas. PSR stated that it took this claim seriously and investigated it, announcing that data analysis does not indicate arbitrary changes and that quality control measures 'convinced us that there was no manipulation of the data.' PSR also stated that support for the October 7 attack does not necessarily mean support for Hamas or crimes against civilians, adding, 'Almost 90% of the people believe that Hamas members did not commit the crimes seen in the videos released from the day of the attack.' Although this survey indicates a decrease in Hamas supporters in Gaza from 38% to 35%, the extremist Islamist movement Hamas remains more popular than 'Fatah' led by Mahmoud Abbas in both Gaza and the West Bank. Following Hamas's unprecedented attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 250, Israel launched a widespread attack that, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, has led to the deaths of 41,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip so far. At least 9 killed and about 3,000 injured in explosions of Hezbollah members' pagers in Lebanon and Syria. Shin Bet: Hezbollah's plot to assassinate a former Israeli military official was thwarted. Israeli Defense Minister: The opportunity for a diplomatic solution with Hezbollah is running out. Negotiations between Gallant and Austin regarding the loss of 'time' to advance a 'diplomatic' solution with Hezbollah. Hezbollah's attack with 40 rockets on the Golan Heights, and the Houthis' ballistic missile attack on central Israel resulted in no casualties. Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon; the army announced it targeted Hezbollah's weapons depots.