Poll: Significant drop in West Bank and Gaza in support for October 7 attack

Ramallah - Ma'an - A poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed that for the first time since October 7, 2023, the results show a significant decline in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the percentage of support for that day's attack, in expectations of a Hamas victory, and a moderate decline in the percentage of support for Hamas. The results also indicate a decline in the Gaza Strip in preference for continued Hamas control over that area after the war ends and an increase in preference for Palestinian Authority control. Despite all this, Hamas remains the most popular movement among all Palestinian factions. The results also indicate a significant increase in support for the two-state solution, accompanied by a decline in preference for armed action and an increase in preference for negotiations as an effective means of ending the occupation. The Center conducted the poll in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the period from September 3-7, 2024. The period preceding the survey witnessed the continuation of the war on the Gaza Strip and the failure of all attempts to reach a ceasefire. Talks continued about the day after the war without any significant progress due to the Israeli government's rejection of the idea. Meanwhile, confrontations escalated in the West Bank between the Israeli army and armed Palestinian groups, especially in the northern West Bank. Restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank continued, and the entrances to most towns and villages were closed by the Israeli army in order to prevent their residents from reaching the main roads. Violence by settlers against Palestinian towns and villages in unprotected areas in Areas B and C continued. Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas movement, in Tehran, and Iran announced its intention to avenge his death, but it had not done so by the time the data for this survey was completed. Hamas chose Yahya Sinwar as its leader to replace Ismail Haniyeh. The Palestinian factions a nnounced the so-called Beijing Declaration to unify the internal ranks, and President Mahmoud Abbas announced from Ankara his intention to visit the Gaza Strip. The center stated: To ensure the safety of our field researchers in the Gaza Strip, interviews were conducted with residents of the Strip in specific areas where there is no daily fighting, including the Khan Younis area, the central Gaza Strip and all the shelters there, but not the besieged northern Gaza Strip and other fighting areas in the central Gaza Strip and Rafah. This survey covers all the issues mentioned above in addition to other issues such as the internal situation and the internal balance of power, the peace process and the alternatives available to Palestinians in light of the current stalemate in that process. The sample size for this survey was 1,200 people, of whom 790 people were interviewed face-to-face in the West Bank (in 79 residential locations) and 410 people in the Gaza Strip (in 41 locations). The margin of error was 3.5 %. Source: Maan News Agency