Despite the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel brokered by President Trump, Palestinian society appears no closer to accepting a long-term, durable peace with Israel. Recent polling results from an independent think tank surveying Palestinians in both Gaza and Judea and Samaria (referred to as “the West Bank” by the think tank) reveal many indications that a desire for peace among Palestinians remains elusive.
### West Bank Palestinians More Radicalized Than Gaza Counterparts
Interestingly, the survey indicates that West Bank Palestinians — under the so-called “moderate” rule of the Palestinian Authority, often seen as the perennial hope for a Palestinian state — are, if anything, more radicalized than their counterparts in Gaza.
### Commitment to Armed Struggle Remains Strong
A plurality of Palestinians remain committed to armed struggle against Israel. When asked which of three methods they saw as the most effective way to “end the Israeli occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state,” 41 percent of all Palestinians selected “armed struggle.” This includes 30 percent of Palestinians in Gaza and 49 percent in the West Bank.
In contrast, 36 percent of all Palestinians favored negotiations (35 percent in Gaza and 37 percent in the West Bank), while only 19 percent chose peaceful resistance (29 percent in Gaza and 13 percent in the West Bank).
### Majority Oppose Disarming Hamas
Related to this, a significant majority—69 percent of all Palestinians—oppose the disarmament of Hamas to permanently end the war in Gaza. This opposition breaks down to 55 percent of Palestinians in Gaza and a striking 87 percent in the West Bank.
### Continued Support for the October 7 Attack
The majority of Palestinians still support Hamas’s October 7 offensive. When asked whether Hamas’s decision to launch the attack was correct or incorrect, 53 percent of Palestinians affirmed it was correct, down from 72 percent in December 2023.
Breaking it down further, 44 percent of Gazans believe Hamas made the right decision (down from 71 percent in March 2024), while a majority of West Bank Palestinians—59 percent—continue to support the attack (down from 82 percent in December 2023).
### Hamas Remains the Most Popular Political Party
The survey also showed that Hamas enjoys a 60 percent favorability rating among Palestinians overall, with 51 percent of Gazans and 66 percent of West Bank Palestinians satisfied with Hamas’s performance. When asked which party they would support, Hamas led with 35 percent of all Palestinians (41 percent in Gaza and 32 percent in the West Bank), followed by Fatah at 24 percent (29 percent in Gaza and 32 percent in the West Bank).
If new legislative elections were held today, 44 percent of Palestinians said they would vote for Hamas (49 percent in Gaza, 40 percent in the West Bank), compared to 30 percent for Fatah (32 percent in Gaza, 29 percent in the West Bank).
### Widespread Denial of Hamas’s October 7 Brutality
A near-total denial of Hamas’s brutality on October 7 persists across Palestinian society, further hindering prospects for peace. Only 10 percent of those surveyed believed Hamas actually committed the atrocities filmed in videos circulating internationally, while an overwhelming 86 percent said Hamas did not commit those acts.
This denial may be driven by the Palestinian media landscape. The majority (58 percent) reported that Qatar-based Al Jazeera was the TV station they watched most over the past two months. Other popular stations included Lebanon-based Palestine Today (3 percent), Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV (3 percent), Palestinian Authority-run Palestine TV (2 percent), Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya (2 percent), Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV (2 percent), and the Palestinian channel Ma’an (1 percent).
### Palestinians Favor Regional and International Actors Opposed to Peace
The Palestinians also appear unlikely to embrace peace due to their favorable attitudes toward regional and international actors who oppose stability in the region.
The highest satisfaction rating went to the Houthis in Yemen, with 74 percent overall—84 percent in the West Bank and 60 percent in Gaza—indicating Palestinians may seek to emulate these groups.
Other favored regional actors included Qatar (52 percent), Hezbollah (50 percent), and the Islamic Republic of Iran (44 percent).
Notably absent from the survey were favorable mentions of the Abraham Accords partners such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, or Morocco, suggesting Palestinian disinterest in these peace initiatives.
On the international front, China received the highest satisfaction rating at 34 percent, followed by Russia at 25 percent. The United States—which secured the ceasefire—garnered only a 6 percent favorability rating.
### Conclusion
Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to broker a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the survey illustrates that long-term peace remains unattainable. Palestinians continue to embrace Hamas and its ongoing conflict with Israel, with widespread support for armed struggle, denial of violence, and a preference for hostile regional actors.
With such deep-rooted attitudes prevailing across Palestinian society, prospects for a lasting peace agreement appear bleak in the near future.
https://spectator.org/peace-a-pipedream-as-palestinians-continue-to-embrace-hamas/
