Over half of Palestinians still back Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, survey finds

More than half of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria still believe that Hamas’s decision to launch the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre was “correct,” according to a survey published on Tuesday. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research polled 1,200 Palestinians between Oct. 22 and Oct. 25, following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that halted two years of war in Gaza. (The margin of error was +/- 3.5 percentage points, the NGO said.)

Support in Judea and Samaria for the deadliest single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust held steady at 59%, unchanged since a May poll, while backing in Gaza rose by seven points to 44%, per the poll. Asked for the most effective means to end the “occupation” and achieve statehood, 41% picked “armed struggle,” a euphemism for terrorism.

A majority of respondents (62%) said they backed Hamas’s acceptance of President Donald Trump’s peace plan, with greater support recorded in Judea and Samaria (65%) compared to Gaza (56%). Sixty-nine percent of respondents were particularly satisfied with the terrorists Hamas was able to free from Israeli prisons under the truce agreement, including 250 who are serving life sentences for deadly attacks. (Ed note: This article is from JNS and the people in Gaza still vote with Hamas,)     (Read More)