At least half of Americans express a high level of concern about several aspects of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza – including starvation among Palestinians living there (55% say they are extremely or very concerned), Israeli military strikes killing Palestinian civilians (53%) and the remaining Israeli hostages not being returned to Israel (51%).
However, Republicans and Democrats hold differing levels of concern about some aspects of the conflict.
Concerns about starvation and civilian deaths among Palestinians living in Gaza
At least seven-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say they are extremely or very concerned about starvation among Palestinians living in Gaza (74%) and Israeli military strikes killing Palestinian civilians (72%).
By comparison, about four-in-ten Republicans and Republican leaners express a high level of concern about starvation among Palestinians living in Gaza (39%) or Israeli military strikes killing Palestinian civilians (37%). Roughly a third of Republicans say they are somewhat concerned about each of these.
Concerns about the Israeli military forcing Palestinians to leave Gaza
About six-in-ten Democrats (61%) say they are extremely or very concerned about the Israeli military forcing Palestinians to leave Gaza, while 23% say they are somewhat concerned and 13% say they are not too or not at all concerned.
Republicans are substantially less likely to express a high level of concern about this prospect: 21% say they are extremely or very concerned, 35% say they are somewhat concerned and 42% say they are not too or not at all concerned.
Concerns about Hamas attacking Israel in the future
Conversely, Republicans express a higher level of concern than Democrats about the prospect of Hamas attacking Israel in the future: About half of Republicans (52%) say they are extremely or very concerned about this, with an additional 26% saying they are somewhat concerned. Roughly four-in-ten Democrats (39%) say they are extremely or very concerned about this, while a third say they are somewhat concerned.
Concerns about the remaining Israeli hostages not being returned to Israel
Republicans and Democrats express nearly identical levels of concern about the remaining Israeli hostages not being returned to Israel.
About half or more Republicans (54%) and Democrats (51%) say they are extremely or very concerned about the remaining Israeli hostages not being returned to Israel. Similar shares across parties say they are somewhat concerned (27% of Republicans and 30% of Democrats) or not too or not at all concerned (17% and 16% respectively).
How Americans’ views of Israel’s approach to the war have changed
The shares of Americans saying Israel is going too far in its military operation have grown over the course of the conflict.
Today, about four-in-ten Americans (39%) say Israel’s current military operation against Hamas is going too far, while 26% say either that Israel is taking about the right approach (16%) or that it is not going far enough (10%).
Two years ago – a few months after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks – far fewer (27%) said Israel was going too far.
Throughout the conflict, about a third of Americans have said they are not sure about Israel’s approach.
Views by party
Democrats continue to be much more likely than Republicans to say Israel is going too far in its approach to the war. Today, 60% of Democrats and 19% of Republicans say this. And Republicans continue to be more likely than Democrats to say Israel is taking the right approach (27% vs. 7%) or that it is not going far enough (18% vs. 3%).
However, Republicans are more likely than Democrats today to say they are unsure about Israel’s handling of the conflict (35% vs. 27%). At previous points during the conflict, there were not partisan differences in uncertainty.
Still, in both parties, the shares saying Israel’s current military operation is going too far are up from last year:
- 60% of Democrats now say Israel’s approach to the war is going too far, up 10 percentage points from a year ago.
- While relatively few Republicans say Israel is going too far in its approach to the war, this is also up from last fall (19% today vs. 13% in September 2024).
