Over half of the Israeli public are against allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, according to a new poll conducted by Israel’s Channel 13.
The survey found that 53 per cent of respondents believe Israel should block the entry of aid into the besieged enclave, while only 34 per cent support permitting essential supplies such as food, water, and medical assistance. The survey included Palestinian citizens of Israel, implying that opposition among Jewish Israelis may be even higher than reported.
Palestinian-Israeli MP Ayman Odeh reacted with concern to the poll’s findings, sharing on X (formerly Twitter): “I don’t want to imagine the outcome without the Arab citizens. I don’t want to explain the survey results to my children.”
Despite the alarming statistics, the figures do reflect a notable shift since January 2024, when a previous poll indicated that 72 per cent of Israelis opposed allowing aid into Gaza. However, the current level of public hostility towards humanitarian efforts remains stark, even as the crisis worsens.
The survey results come with growing international calls for a ceasefire and urgent humanitarian relief in Gaza. Nonetheless, mainstream discourse within Israel appears largely resistant to any actions that could bring an end to what many global observers have described as genocidal warfare.
Meanwhile, the families of Israeli captives still held in Gaza have voiced increasing frustration over the government’s priorities. As Israel intensifies its offensive, relatives of the hostages have repeatedly urged an end to the military campaign, demanding the safe return of their loved ones and a shift in focus towards securing their release rather than maintaining political agendas.
Since the Israeli assault began in October 2023, more than 53,600 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed. The enclave remains under near-total siege, leaving residents with extreme shortages of food, clean water, medical supplies, and fuel.
The United Nations has warned that if the blockade on vital aid persists, as many as 14,000 infants could be at risk of dying from preventable causes.