Poll Reveals Continued Support for Hamas Among Palestinians
A recent poll presents startling findings. Two years after the massacre on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis, a majority of Palestinians still believe that Hamas acted correctly by launching the attack. In fact, it’s alarming to note that a significant 86 percent of respondents deny the well-documented atrocities committed against civilians by Hamas.
According to the Ramallah-based Palestine Policy and Research Center (PCPSR), 53 percent of Palestinians think Hamas’s decision was justified. Support is strongest in the West Bank, where 59 percent express approval, while 44 percent back the attack in the Gaza Strip—an increase of seven points since May.
The results underscore a deep-rooted support for the October 7 attack despite extensive evidence showcasing the horrific actions of Hamas. This includes video footage and forensic documentation revealing that terrorists moved systematically through neighborhoods, murdering families, including women and children. Some Hamas operatives even recorded the events in real-time, later using the footage for propaganda purposes.
When directly asked if Hamas had committed the atrocities widely reported around the globe, an overwhelming 86 percent responded “no,” while only 10 percent said “yes.” This comes more than two years post-massacre, amidst significant eyewitness accounts and verified videos documenting Hamas’s intentional targeting of civilians, which has been staunchly denied.
Hamas’s political influence has not waned. Should elections occur today, 44 percent of potential voters would support Hamas, compared to 30 percent for Fatah. Hypothetically, in a presidential election, Hamas leader Khalid Meshaal would defeat Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas by a striking margin of 63 to 27. Overall, satisfaction with Hamas’s performance during wartime has reached 60 percent, with figures at 66 percent in the West Bank and 51 percent in Gaza.
Regarding the most effective strategy to “end the occupation and establish an independent state,” a plurality of Palestinian respondents indicated that “armed struggle” was their preferred approach, significantly outpacing support for negotiations or peaceful resistance.
Almost 70 percent of Palestinians oppose disarming Hamas even if it were a condition for a permanent ceasefire. This includes 87 percent in the West Bank and 55 percent in Gaza, both rejecting central disarmament demands. Trump’s 20-point peace plan calls for Hamas to relinquish its weapons, a condition the group has refused to accept publicly.
Moreover, a majority (68 percent) would not allow armed Arab security forces from Egypt, Jordan, or other nations into Palestinian territories to oversee demilitarization and security, another component of the proposed international plan.
When presented with a proposal involving normalization and demilitarization, two-thirds of respondents opposed a political agreement aimed at concluding the conflict, ending the “occupation,” creating a demilitarized Palestinian state, and normalizing relations with Israel and neighboring Arab nations. Only 31 percent showed support for such an agreement.
These findings align with earlier research that indicates an ongoing denial and rising radicalization among Palestinians, a trend mirrored in recent actions taken by Hamas.
Israeli sources reported that Hamas was seen burying bodies, later calling in the Red Cross to observe as operatives “retrieved” the remains. Forensic tests uncovered that the contents of these coffins were actually those recovered in an earlier Israeli operation. This tactic violates cease-fire agreements, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to authorize airstrikes on Hamas targets.
The poll results come from a recent PCPSR survey conducted in the West Bank and Gaza Strip from October 22 to 25, 2025, shortly after President Trump announced the end of the two-year conflict in Gaza and the initiation of a ceasefire plan.
