Voters Want the U.S. to Call for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza and to Prioritize Diplomacy
New Data for Progress polling finds that a majority of U.S. likely voters support a permanent ceasefire and de-escalation of violence in Gaza — and most prefer that the U.S. prioritize diplomacy and humanitarian aid to curtail violence in the region. Furthermore, we find a wide majority of voters are concerned about a rise in hate incidents toward Jewish and Muslim or Arab Americans.
A Majority of Voters Think U.S. Should Call for a Permanent Ceasefire
When asked how knowledgeable they are about the Israel-Palestine conflict, 25% of voters say they have either an “extensive” or “proficient” level of knowledge, while 35% say they have a “moderate” knowledge level. Voters who get their news from social media are especially likely to consider themselves knowledgeable: 36% of voters who get news from Instagram, 33% of voters who get news from TikTok, and 30% of voters who get news from Facebook say they have extensive or proficient knowledge about the conflict.
Sixty-one percent of likely voters, including a majority of Democrats (76%) and Independents (57%) and a plurality of Republicans (49%), support the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza.
After voters are presented with arguments for and against a permanent ceasefire, a majority of them still support the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire by an +18-point margin.
Voters Want the U.S. to Prioritize Diplomatic and Humanitarian Approaches
When asked about additional courses of action regarding U.S. involvement in the conflict in Gaza, more than 2 in 3 voters across party lines support the U.S. “providing intelligence and resources to assist efforts to find and rescue Israeli hostages in Gaza” and “sending food, water, and medical supplies to people in Gaza.” A majority of voters across party lines also support “ensuring people in Gaza have reliable access to fuel and electricity” (65%).
When voters are asked what the U.S. government should prioritize in terms of its foreign policy regarding the conflict in Gaza, nearly half (49%) choose “leveraging diplomatic relationships with Israel and Arab partners in the region to de-escalate violence and ensure the safe release of hostages,” followed by “sending humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza” (31%). Fewer than 1 in 4 voters (24%) choose “sending additional military aid and weapons to Israel” — and only 11% choose “sending U.S. troops to assist Israeli forces in Gaza” as a priority.
Democratic and Independent Voters Are Divided on U.S. Military Aid to Israel, Supportive of Raising Human Rights Standards
Nearly half (49%) of voters, including a majority of Republicans (57%), support the U.S. increasing military aid to Israel — but the margins of support are slim among Democrats (+3 points) and Independents (+1 point).
While voters support increasing military aid to Israel overall, a majority believe that the U.S. should only provide aid to Israel if it meets our standards for human rights. Sixty-three percent of voters, including 65% of those under age 45, agree with this broad statement: “The U.S. should hold its ally Israel to a high standard and only provide military aid to Israel if they meet our standards for human rights."
Voters Are Concerned About Increased Hate Incidents and Violence Against Jewish and Muslim or Arab Communities
An additional Data for Progress poll, conducted from November 20-21, 2023, finds that a majority of voters are concerned about increases in hate incidents and violence against Americans who are Jewish, Muslim, or Arab.
In sum, this new polling emphasizes that voters, especially younger voters, want the violence in Gaza to end and are supportive of the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire, as well as several different courses of action related to rescuing Israeli hostages and increasing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. These findings underscore that voters support diplomatic and humanitarian approaches to the crisis in Gaza more than sending military aid, weapons, and troops.
Survey Methodology
From November 22 to 25, 2023, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,201 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points.
From November 20 to 21, 2023, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,203 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points.