Fewer Israelis back the idea of their country taking over Gaza now than they did in 2024, according to new polling released this week as Israel’s security cabinet moves closer to a potential reoccupation of the territory.
The share of Israelis who say Israel should govern Gaza after the war with Hamas has dropped from 40% last year to 33%, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted from Feb. 5 to March 11.
The data was collected before fighting resumed on March 18 and during a fragile ceasefire. Despite the decline, Israeli control remains the most popular option among those polled, ahead of alternatives like Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, the United Nations, or self-rule by Gazans.
The new numbers come just as Israel’s government approved a plan to launch a large-scale military operation in Gaza if no new ceasefire deal is reached by mid-May—timed to coincide with a planned visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to the region.
The drop in support is most evident among Jewish Israelis, with only 42% now favoring an Israeli-run Gaza compared to 50% last year. Among Arab Israelis, support remains virtually nonexistent at 2%.
Political ideology plays a major role in opinion on the issue. While 57% of right-leaning Israelis support Israeli control of Gaza, that number is down from 69% in 2024. Only 14% of centrists and 2% of left-leaning Israelis share that view.
Virtually no Israelis want Hamas to stay in power—just 1% overall, including 5% of Arab Israelis and none among Jewish Israelis.
A growing number of Israelis favor allowing the people of Gaza to decide their own future. That option drew support from 16% overall, including 45% of Arab Israelis and 36% of Israelis on the political left.
Views on the Palestinian Authority (PA) remain tepid. Just 6% of Israelis support a PA unity government under Mahmoud Abbas taking control, while 10% favor the PA without Abbas. Among Arab Israelis, 22% back PA control without Abbas.
Only 2% of respondents say the United Nations should take over, and 11% would prefer another unspecified group or individual. About one in five Israelis either declined to answer or said they didn’t know who should govern Gaza.
Pew noted that due to ongoing security risks, it was unable to conduct polling in Gaza or the West Bank. The organization says it is still exploring options for future research in the territories.
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