A majority of Israelis support reaching an agreement with Hamas to secure the release of hostages, even if it means ending the war in Gaza, according to a new poll by Channel 12.
The survey found that 68% of respondents favor a deal with Hamas, while only 22% support continuing the military campaign. Another 10% were undecided.
The poll also highlighted growing distrust in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. Sixty-one percent of Israelis expressed concerns over the state of democracy in the country, and 54% believe political motives — rather than security concerns — are driving the continuation of the conflict. Only 40% cited security as the primary reason for ongoing hostilities.
Public trust appears to be shifting away from Netanyahu. Following his recent move to dismiss Ronen Bar, head of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, 45% of respondents said they trust Bar more than Netanyahu, compared to 34% who expressed more confidence in the prime minister.
Tensions escalated after Netanyahu refused to negotiate a second phase of a truce after a 42-day agreement expired, reigniting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza on March 18. This came despite Hamas’s stated willingness to abide by the previous agreement’s terms.
As of the latest figures, 59 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with 24 believed to be alive, according to Israeli authorities. Meanwhile, more than 9,500 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, where human rights groups report detainees face torture, starvation, and lack of medical care, leading to multiple deaths.
Hamas has now made the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza a condition for ending the war.
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