A recent survey by the Pew Research Center found that 39 percent of Israelis believe the country’s military response against Hamas in Gaza has been appropriate, while 34 percent feel it has not gone far enough. Conversely, 19 percent think the response has been excessive.
The survey also revealed that approximately two-thirds of Israelis are confident that Israel will likely achieve its goals in the war against Hamas, with 27 percent saying it will “probably” succeed and 40 percent asserting it will “definitely” succeed. However, significant concerns remain among the Israeli public.
Notably, 61 percent of respondents are extremely or very worried about the war expanding into other countries in the region, and 68 percent share similar concerns about the conflict’s duration.
Opinions are divided on the post-war governance of the Gaza Strip. A plurality of 40 percent believes Israel should govern Gaza, while smaller percentages think Gazans should decide their governance (14 percent) or favor a Palestinian Authority national unity government, either with (6 percent) or without (12 percent) President Mahmoud Abbas at the helm.