Support for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza Increases Across Party Lines
New polling from Data for Progress, in collaboration with Zeteo, finds that a majority of U.S. likely voters continue to support a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian assistance in Gaza, and think that if conflict escalates between Israel and Iran, the U.S. military should have little to no involvement. Narrow pluralities of voters also think Israel is committing genocide, and disapprove of recent congressional funding for Israel and of college campuses limiting students' rights and abilities to protest Israel's military operations. However, voters are more divided on those questions.
Seven in 10 likely voters — including majorities of Democrats (83%), Independents (65%), and Republicans (56%) — support the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza. This represents a 3-point increase in support for the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire since Data for Progress last polled this question in February, and a 9-point increase in support from November.
Voters are split on whether they believe Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people living in Gaza, with 39% saying Israel is committing genocide, 38% saying Israel is not, and 23% saying they don’t know. A majority of Democrats (56%) and a slight plurality of Independents (36%) say they believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
A majority of voters (54%), including 61% of Democrats and 59% of Independents, say the U.S. should be involved “only a little” or “not at all” when asked, “If fighting between Israel and Iran escalates, to what extent should the U.S. be militarily involved in the conflict on Israel's side, if at all?”
A plurality of voters also say they disapprove of Congress passing approximately $4 billion to replenish Israel's missile systems (46%).
Additionally, more than one-third of voters (37%) think military aid to Israel should be decreased, while 18% believe it should be increased and 33% think it should be kept as is.
However, a majority of voters (56%), including 70% of Democrats and 56% of Independents, say they support Congress passing approximately $9 billion for humanitarian assistance in conflict zones such as Ukraine and Gaza. Furthermore, when asked about a specific proposal in Congress, a majority of voters (54%), including 68% of Democrats and 55% of Independents, say they support suspending all U.S. arms sales to Israel for as long as Israel blocks U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Lastly, voters were asked about the recent anti-war protests on college campuses across the country. Voters are split over whether they approve (40%) or disapprove (42%) of college students protesting their schools' investments in corporations that profit from Israel's military operations. But a plurality of voters (46%), including a majority of Democrats (55%), say they disapprove of college campuses limiting students' rights and abilities to protest Israel's military operations.
These findings demonstrate consistent support for the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza, and for Congress increasing funding for humanitarian assistance — as well as low support for U.S. involvement in an escalated conflict between Israel and Iran. While voters are relatively divided on questions of whether Israel is committing genocide, whether Congress should provide more military funding to Israel, and whether college campuses should limit student protest rights, pluralities tend to take a position that is more critical of Israel’s military operations.