US poll finds 60% of Gen Z voters back Hamas over Israel in Gaza war

A new survey has revealed a sharp generational split in United States attitudes towards Israel’s war on Gaza, with younger voters showing unprecedented support for Hamas as Israel carries out a genocide.

The poll, conducted by The Harris Poll and HarrisX between 20 and 21 August among 2,025 registered voters, asked respondents: “In the Israel-Hamas conflict, do you support more Israel or more Hamas?”

Sixty percent of voters aged 18–24 expressed greater support for Hamas, in stark contrast to older demographics, where backing for Israel rose steadily: 65 percent among ages 25–34, 70 percent among ages 35–44, 74 percent among ages 45–54, 84 percent among those aged 55–64, and 89 percent of voters over 65.

Half of all respondents said they believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Most voters (51 percent) attributed criticism of Israel to concern over Palestinian human rights rather than antisemitism.

The survey did not ask participants whether they support Palestinians more broadly, despite Israeli leaders repeatedly framing their war as being against all Palestinians, not only Hamas. 

The results highlight a profound generational shift in US public opinion, which comes as Israel’s campaign in Gaza enters its second year.

A recent poll found that solid majority of Americans disapprove of the US sending military aid to Israel, as it wages a genocide in Gaza, according to a new poll released by Quinnipiac University on Wednesday.

Pollsters at the university found that 60 percent of Americans are opposed to the US sending arms to Israel, while only 32 percent support additional aid.

According to a Pew Research poll published in May, 53 percent of Americans now express an unfavourable opinion of Israel, up from 42 percent in March 2022 - before the 7 October 2023.

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Since breaking a short-lived ceasefire on 18 March, Israeli forces have intensified their bombardment of Gaza, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastating the enclave’s infrastructure.

More than 63,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, and over 160,000 have been injured, with at least 10,000 thousand people still missing under the rubble.

The siege and blockade have also created a man-made famine that has killed hundreds of Palestinians, mostly children, with hundreds of thousands more at risk of starvation.

Israel’s actions in Gaza have drawn condemnation from human rights groups and governments worldwide.

The International Court of Justice is investigating Israel for genocide, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are facing arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Gaza.

Despite the war dominating headlines, only two percent of respondents in the Harris poll identified Gaza as a top personal priority, underscoring a disconnect between the scale of the atrocities and their perceived importance to US voters.