Public opinion in the United States regarding Israel’s ongoing military offensive in the Gaza Strip has reached a historic low, with approval ratings dropping sharply as the conflict enters its third year. According to recent data from Gallup, a multinational polling firm, only 32% of American adults now support Israel’s actions in Gaza, marking an all-time low. This represents a significant decline from the 50% approval recorded in November 2023, just weeks after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which sparked the current phase of the conflict. Conversely, disapproval has surged to 60%, with opposition particularly pronounced among younger Americans and Democrats. This shift in public sentiment reflects not only growing dissatisfaction with the war but also a broader realignment of sympathies, with increasing numbers of Americans expressing support for Palestinians. The data highlights stark partisan and generational divides, as well as a historic erosion of support for Israel, a trend that is reshaping the U.S. political landscape and prompting responses from Israeli leadership.
Declining Support for Israel’s War
The Gallup poll, conducted in July 2025, underscores a dramatic erosion of support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The 32% approval rating is a nearly 20-point drop from the 50% recorded in November 2023, signaling a significant shift in American public opinion. Benedict Vigers, Gallup’s senior global news writer, described this change as a “decisive shift,” noting that the decline reflects growing unease with the prolonged conflict and its humanitarian toll. The disapproval rate of 60% indicates that a clear majority of Americans now oppose the war, a sentiment that is particularly strong among certain demographic groups.
The data reveals that younger Americans, aged 18 to 34, are overwhelmingly opposed to Israel’s actions, with only 9% expressing support. In contrast, older Americans, aged 55 and above, show significantly higher levels of approval, with 49% backing the war. This generational divide is one of the most striking aspects of the polling, suggesting that younger Americans are more likely to view the conflict through a critical lens, potentially influenced by exposure to alternative narratives on social media and a greater focus on human rights issues.
Partisan Divides in Support
Partisan affiliation remains a critical determinant of attitudes toward the war. Republicans have maintained relatively stable support for Israel, with 71% approving of the military offensive in Gaza. This figure has remained largely unchanged over the past two years, despite the escalation of violence and mounting international criticism. In contrast, Democratic support has plummeted. Only 8% of Democrats now back Israel’s actions, a sharp decline from the 36% who supported the offensive in November 2023. Independents, too, have shifted away from supporting Israel, with approval dropping from 47% to 25% over the same period.
Vigers emphasized the stability of Republican support, noting that it appears “baked in” and resilient to changes on the ground in Gaza. For Democrats, however, the low approval ratings leave little room for further decline, as their support is already in the single digits. This stark partisan divide reflects broader ideological differences, with Republicans often aligning with Israel due to strategic and historical ties, while Democrats are increasingly critical of the war’s humanitarian consequences and Israel’s broader policies.
Generational and Partisan Intersections
While partisanship is a key predictor of attitudes toward the war, the generational divide adds another layer of complexity. Younger Americans, regardless of party affiliation, are more likely to oppose Israel’s actions. Among younger Republicans, approval for the war is lower than among their older counterparts, suggesting that age can temper partisan loyalty. Vigers noted that younger Republicans “look a bit more like young Americans in general than Republicans in general,” indicating that generational factors may override partisan allegiance in some cases.
For Democrats, the generational divide is less pronounced, as approval for the war is already low across all age groups. However, the data suggests that younger Democrats are particularly vocal in their opposition, with many expressing solidarity with Palestinians and advocating for policy changes, such as sanctions on Israel or an end to U.S. military aid. This intersection of age and partisanship underscores the evolving nature of American attitudes toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with younger generations driving much of the shift in public opinion.
Shifting Sympathies Toward Palestinians
The decline in support for Israel’s war is part of a broader trend of shifting sympathies within the American public. Gallup’s annual data, released in March 2025, found that only 46% of Americans now express sympathy for Israelis, the lowest level in the 25 years that Gallup has tracked this metric. In contrast, sympathy for Palestinians has risen to 33%, the highest figure on record, surpassing the previous high of 31% in early 2023. This narrowing gap between support for Israelis and Palestinians marks a significant departure from decades of overwhelming American sympathy for Israel.
Vigers described 2025 as a “historic year” for these trends, highlighting two key developments: the narrowing gap in sympathies and the growing partisan divide. Republicans remain more than seven times as likely to sympathize with Israelis, while Democrats are now three times as likely to sympathize with Palestinians. This shift among Democrats has been particularly pronounced over the past two years, with the war in Gaza accelerating pre-existing trends toward greater support for Palestinian rights.
The shift in sympathies is not limited to Gallup’s findings. Other polling organizations, such as the Pew Research Center, have reported similar trends. Pew’s data, released in October 2025, found that 39% of Americans believe Israel has gone too far in Gaza, an all-time high during the course of the war. Additionally, 59% of Americans now hold an unfavorable view of Israel’s military actions, further underscoring the erosion of public support.
Democratic Voters’ Growing Criticism
Among Democratic voters, criticism of Israel has become increasingly mainstream. According to a YouGov poll, 65% of likely Democratic primary voters support imposing sanctions on Israel, while 72% believe that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Additionally, 75% of Democratic primary voters advocate ending annual U.S. military assistance to Israel, a position that reflects growing frustration with the U.S.’s longstanding support for Israel’s military actions.
For younger Democrats, particularly those in Generation Z, these issues are becoming central to their political priorities. Roughly one in four Gen Z Democrats say that reducing U.S. support for Israel will be a top-three factor in their vote during the 2026 Democratic primaries. This indicates that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is emerging as a key issue for younger voters, potentially influencing the Democratic Party’s platform and candidate selection in future elections.
Israel’s Response to Shifting Public Opinion
Israeli leadership has taken note of the growing criticism in the United States. During a September 2025 event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a group of social media influencers, urging them to counter negative perceptions of Israel. “We have to fight back,” Netanyahu said, emphasizing the importance of influencers in shaping public opinion. He compared the current challenge to a battlefield, arguing that modern “weapons” like social media are critical for defending Israel’s image.
Netanyahu’s remarks reflect an awareness of the changing tide of public opinion in the U.S., a key ally and provider of military and diplomatic support. For the first time since 1997, a majority of Americans—52%—view Netanyahu unfavorably, according to Gallup’s data. Only 29% have a positive view of the Israeli leader, a significant decline from previous years when favorable opinions consistently outweighed unfavorable ones. This shift in perception of Netanyahu mirrors the broader decline in support for Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Comparative Context and Anomalies
The partisan divide over Israel stands out as an anomaly compared to American attitudes toward other foreign countries. Gallup’s annual World Affairs survey has found that most countries do not elicit such stark partisan differences in favorability. Israel, however, is a notable exception, with Republicans and Democrats holding increasingly divergent views. This polarization reflects the unique role that Israel plays in American politics, where historical alliances, religious ties, and geopolitical considerations intersect with domestic ideological debates.
The Gallup data is corroborated by other polling organizations, reinforcing the reliability of the findings. Pew’s October 2025 report, for instance, highlighted similar partisan differences, with only 18% of Democrats expressing favorable views of the Israeli government compared to 55% of Republicans. These consistent findings across multiple polls suggest that the shift in public opinion is not an outlier but a reflection of deeper changes in how Americans view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Implications for U.S.-Israel Relations
The declining support for Israel’s war in Gaza and the broader shift in sympathies toward Palestinians have significant implications for U.S.-Israel relations. The United States has long been Israel’s most steadfast ally, providing billions of dollars in military aid annually and offering diplomatic support in international forums. However, the growing criticism among Democrats, particularly younger voters, suggests that this relationship may face increasing scrutiny in the coming years.
For the Democratic Party, the shift in public opinion could influence policy debates and electoral strategies. The fact that a majority of Democratic primary voters support sanctions and an end to military aid indicates that candidates may need to adopt more critical stances toward Israel to appeal to their base, particularly younger voters. This could lead to a reevaluation of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, with potential consequences for the U.S.-Israel alliance.
On the Republican side, the stability of support for Israel suggests that the party will continue to advocate for strong ties with the Israeli government. However, the generational divide among Republicans, with younger members showing less enthusiasm for Israel’s actions, could complicate this stance in the long term. As younger voters become a larger share of the electorate, their influence may push both parties to reconsider their positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Role of Social Media and Information
The rise of social media has played a significant role in shaping public opinion, particularly among younger Americans. Platforms like X have provided a space for alternative narratives about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including firsthand accounts from Gaza and critiques of Israel’s military actions. These platforms have amplified voices that were previously marginalized in mainstream media, contributing to the growing sympathy for Palestinians and the declining support for Israel’s war.
Netanyahu’s focus on social media influencers during his UN General Assembly remarks underscores the importance of these platforms in the battle for public opinion. By framing social media as a modern “battlefield,” he acknowledged the power of digital communication in shaping perceptions of the conflict. However, the effectiveness of Israel’s efforts to counter negative narratives remains uncertain, particularly as public opinion continues to shift against the war.
Historical Context and Long-Term Trends
The current shift in American public opinion is part of a longer-term trend that has seen support for Israel gradually erode over the past few decades. While Israel has historically enjoyed widespread sympathy in the U.S., driven by factors such as shared democratic values, religious ties, and geopolitical alliances, this support has not been immune to change. The increasing visibility of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, coupled with growing awareness of Palestinian perspectives, has challenged the traditional narrative of unconditional U.S. support for Israel.
Gallup’s 25-year tracking of sympathies toward Israelis and Palestinians provides a valuable historical context for understanding these changes. The narrowing gap between support for the two groups reflects a growing recognition of the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as a willingness among Americans to question longstanding assumptions about the U.S.’s role in the region.
Conclusion
The sharp decline in American support for Israel’s war in Gaza, coupled with growing sympathy for Palestinians, represents a significant shift in public opinion. Driven by generational and partisan divides, this trend is reshaping the U.S. political landscape and posing challenges for Israel’s leadership. As younger Americans and Democrats increasingly criticize Israel’s actions, the traditional U.S.-Israel alliance may face new pressures, particularly as social media amplifies alternative narratives. While Republicans remain steadfast in their support, the generational divide among their ranks suggests that even this support may not be immune to change in the long term. As the conflict in Gaza continues, the evolving attitudes of the American public will likely play a critical role in shaping the future of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
