A majority of Israelis believe their government’s main goal in the Gaza Strip should be the safe return of all hostages still held by Hamas, rather than the destruction of the Palestinian terrorist group, according to a new poll released Tuesday.
The survey from the Israel Democracy Institute found that 51% of Israelis believe “bringing the hostages home” is the most important consideration compared with 36% who say the top priority should be “toppling” Hamas, which perpetrated the Oct. 7 terrorist massacre on Israel. About 13% say they “don’t know.”
Hamas took more than 250 hostages during the assault five months ago. About 100 were freed during a brief cease-fire in November. More than 130 remain in captivity. Some have died while in Hamas‘ custody.
The new poll underscores the pressure facing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his government tries to negotiate a hostage release deal while pressing ahead with its military campaign in Gaza. The Israeli leader is being squeezed politically from both sides, with some right-wing officials in the government warning him against striking any deal with terms favorable to Hamas.
The Israeli leader also faces angry, vocal calls to secure the prisoners’ release, including from hostages’ families who have accused the Israeli government of not doing enough to bring their loved ones home safely.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the Middle East this week to help facilitate a hostage release agreement. He met with key Egyptian officials Tuesday, the State Department said. Egypt and Qatar have played key roles as mediators between Israel and Hamas. Mr. Blinken was expected to travel to Qatar later Tuesday.
The meeting between U.S. and Egyptian officials comes at a delicate moment. The Israeli military is poised to press deeper into Gaza in its quest to destroy Hamas, with Israeli Defense Forces officials pledging that their offensive will eventually reach the town of Rafah, on the Egyptian border, where more than half of Gaza‘s 2.3 million people have sought refuge.
Egypt has warned against such military moves on its border.
The Israel Democracy Institute poll makes clear the Israeli public believes freeing the hostages should take precedence over the complete toppling of Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2006. The poll was conducted in late January and sampled 619 Jewish Israelis and 153 Arab Israelis.
It found key differences within the two groups. Forty-seven percent of Jewish Israelis sampled say that freeing the hostages should be the main goal, while 42% say it should be wiping out Hamas. Among the Arab Israelis sampled, 69% say the main priority should be freeing the hostages, while just 8% say it should be finishing Hamas. About 23% say they don’t know.
• This story is based in part on wire service reports.