Recent polling from the aChord Center at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals a deeply fractured Israeli public. One of the most significant findings is a hardening of attitudes, with 76% of Jewish Israelis agreeing fully or partially with the statement that “there are no innocents in Gaza.” This perspective exists alongside profound dissatisfaction with the government’s leadership. A majority of the public, 59%, does not believe the government is making every possible effort to release the hostages. Furthermore, 63% of Israelis believe securing the return of all hostages is more important than the stated war aim of defeating Hamas, indicating a significant disconnect between the public’s priorities and the government’s perceived strategy.
This shift in public opinion has occurred alongside a devastating human toll in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023.
Over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed. Analyses of the identified fatalities consistently show that women and children constitute the majority of those killed. The conflict has also seen an unprecedented impact on essential services and the press.
The World Health Organization has documented over 490 attacks on healthcare in Gaza, resulting in hundreds of deaths among medical staff. Additionally, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate report that over 245 journalists and media workers have been killed, making it one of the deadliest conflicts for the press in modern history.