Fresh Reuters survey data exposes that 58% of Americans back universal United Nations recognition of Palestinian statehood, with polling conducted as Israel and Hamas evaluate potential ceasefire arrangements during the nearly two-year military campaign.
Opposition to UN member Palestinian state recognition reached 33% among respondents, while 9% declined to answer. The six-day Reuters polling period ended Monday, occurring weeks after three major US allies – Canada, Britain, and France – announced Palestinian state recognition intentions.
Last week, Britain, Canada, Australia, and several European allies declared the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza had reached "unimaginable levels," as Tuesday's United Nations human rights office statement declared Israel was blocking adequate supply entry into Gaza to prevent mass starvation. Israel rejects accountability for Gaza hunger conditions, asserting Hamas diverts aid shipments and prevents them from reaching civilians.
The polling additionally revealed 59% of Americans consider Israel's Gaza military response to Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attack excessive. 33% of respondents rejected this characterization. Comparable Reuters polling from February 2024 indicated 53% of respondents considered Israel's response excessive, with 42% disagreeing. The current Reuters survey, executed online, collected responses from 4,446 US adults nationwide and maintained a margin of error of approximately two percentage points.
Reuters poll respondents showed even stronger support – 65% – for US action in Gaza to help starvation-threatened populations, with 28% opposing intervention. Opposition included 41% of President Donald Trump's Republican supporters.
The Gaza warfare commenced when Hamas-led terrorists executed attacks into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and kidnapping 251 hostages, among them women and children. Of those taken, 50 remain in Gaza, held by Hamas and the affiliated terrorist organization Islamic Jihad.
