By: Fern Sidman

A growing segment of the American public now believes Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll that reveals a sharp uptick in negative perceptions of Israeli military conduct, particularly among Democratic voters.

The nationwide survey, conducted from August 1st through August 4th, included responses from 1,702 self-identified U.S. adults and reflects a marked increase in the number of Americans—especially Democrats—who accuse Israel of committing acts of genocide against Palestinians.

As was reported by World Israel News on Wednesday, the poll’s most striking finding is the surge in the percentage of Democrats endorsing the genocide accusation: 65% now say Israel is guilty of such crimes, a steep climb from 45% recorded in January 2024. This dramatic rise among Democrats significantly influenced the overall national shift, with 43% of all American adults now holding the same view, up from 31% nineteen months prior.

By contrast, Republican perspectives have remained relatively stable. Only 19% of Republicans agreed that Israel is committing genocide, a modest increase of just two percentage points since January 2024. The partisan divide evident in the survey underscores a growing polarization over Israel’s military campaign and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

In addition to views on genocide, the Economist/YouGov poll revealed overwhelming American support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. According to the information provided in the World Israel News report, 78% of respondents favor a halt to fighting between Israel and Hamas, a figure that cuts across partisan lines, albeit with varying degrees of intensity.

Also notable is the high level of trust many Americans place in Hamas claims of a humanitarian catastrophe. A full 71% of Americans said they believe Hamas’s assertion that Gaza is suffering from a hunger crisis, including 87% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans.

The data suggests that the majority of Americans accept the narrative that Israel’s military actions are inflicting significant civilian suffering, even as international verification of such claims has remained contested. World Israel News has previously reported on the strategic manipulation of civilian statistics and crisis narratives by Hamas to galvanize international sympathy and shift public discourse.

The poll also found that fewer than one-third of Americans (32%) now believe that Israeli attacks on Hamas in Gaza are justified. By contrast, a larger segment—41%—agreed with the statement that “Israel’s attacks on Gaza are unjustified and harm too many innocent Palestinians.”

These findings reflect a reversal from October 2023, when sympathy toward Israel surged following the Hamas-led massacre of over 1,200 Israelis on October 7. At that time, a plurality of Americans—48%—expressed greater sympathy for Israel over the Palestinians. Now, that figure has dropped dramatically to just 29%.

Meanwhile, support for Palestinians has more than doubled, with 26% now saying they sympathize more with Palestinians, up from 9% in the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attacks. This evolution in sentiment, according to World Israel News, signals a major shift in how Americans view the conflict and suggests sustained media exposure to images of devastation in Gaza may be impacting public opinion.

On the broader question of Palestinian statehood, the survey found a pronounced partisan divide. Seventy percent of Democrats now support the creation of a Palestinian state, compared to just 23% of Republicans. Among all Americans, nearly half (49%) back Palestinian statehood, while only 17% oppose it.

World Israel News has chronicled how support for Palestinian sovereignty has long been more prevalent among Democratic voters, but the current gap is among the widest ever recorded in such polling. Analysts attribute this to generational shifts, the rising influence of progressive foreign policy positions within the Democratic Party, and the impact of social media narratives that have amplified Palestinian voices.

Another significant finding of the poll concerns the status of U.S. military aid to Israel. According to the survey, 42% of Americans now favor either halting or reducing aid to the Jewish state. That marks a substantial rise from November 2023, when just 23% of respondents held that view.

Support for maintaining or increasing military assistance has declined in tandem with broader shifts in public attitudes toward Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The report at World Israel News noted that bipartisan consensus on security assistance to Israel—once a mainstay of American foreign policy—is eroding as criticism intensifies over civilian casualties and humanitarian concerns in Gaza.

When it comes to humanitarian aid for Gaza itself, public opinion is more fragmented. Thirty-eight percent of Americans support increasing such aid, while 42% say it should either remain at current levels or be reduced.

These divided views indicate that while Americans are sympathetic to the humanitarian plight of Palestinians, skepticism persists regarding the effectiveness of aid delivery in a territory governed by Hamas—a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

Americans are more evenly split in their assessment of President Donald Trump’s approach to Israel. According to the poll, 36% believe Trump is too supportive of Israel, while 32% say his stance is “about right.” Only 7% believe Trump is not sufficiently supportive.

World Israel News has previously reported on Trump’s strong pro-Israel record during his first term, including the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Abraham Accords, and support for Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Yet these policies, while lauded by many conservatives and American Jews, have become focal points of criticism among younger voters and the Democratic base.

The ambivalence reflected in the poll numbers suggests that while Trump retains substantial support among pro-Israel constituencies, his handling of the conflict has also become a lightning rod for partisan critique.

The latest polling data highlighted an increasingly complex and fragmented American landscape with respect to Israel and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. According to the information contained in the World Israel News report, the most consequential shift lies in the Democratic Party’s rapidly changing base, where the term “genocide” has moved from the margins of discourse into the mainstream of public belief.

This transformation has significant implications not only for U.S. foreign policy but also for Israel’s global standing and its strategic relationship with its most important ally.

While Republican support for Israel remains relatively stable and high, the erosion of bipartisan backing—especially within the Democratic Party—may complicate future defense and diplomatic cooperation. Policymakers in both Jerusalem and Washington will likely view these results with concern, as they signal a widening gulf between governmental positions and the sentiments of the electorate.

The new Economist/YouGov poll underscores a profound shift in public attitudes, shaped by evolving media narratives, partisan realignment, and generational change.

With 65% of Democrats and nearly half of all Americans now viewing Israeli actions as genocidal, and with declining support for military aid, Israeli officials and their American allies may face an increasingly challenging environment in maintaining public and political support.

The findings mark a pivotal moment in the public discourse surrounding the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, with future developments likely to hinge not only on events on the ground in Gaza but also on how they are perceived—and understood—by the American public.