RSS
Majority of Palestinians Still Support Oct. 7 Massacre, Want Hamas to Control Gaza After War: Poll
Palestinian terrorists ride an Israeli military vehicle that was seized by gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip, Oct. 7, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot
The vast majority of Palestinians still support Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel and don’t believe the terror group engaged in war crimes during its invasion of the Jewish state that left 1,200 people dead and more than 250 taken hostage, according to new polling.
The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) on Wednesday released its latest poll about Palestinian attitudes toward Hamas, the Oct. 7 atrocities, and the ongoing war in Gaza as a whole.
It found that 71% of Palestinians believe Hamas’ decision to launch an offensive against Israel on Oct. 7 was “correct.”
Among those who live in Hamas-ruled Gaza, support for the Oct. 7 attack rose from 57 percent in December to 71 percent this month. Among those who live in the West Bank, support dropped from 82 percent to 71 percent over the same period. Palestinians saw the decision to invade Israel and massacre civilians as correct even though it precipitated a war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, created a humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave, and did not draw other Arab states or groups into all-out war with Israel.
Palestinians who both saw videos of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack against Israeli civilians and did not see videos overwhelmingly believe the terror group did not commit atrocities. Among those who watched the videos, 81 percent said Hamas did not commit atrocities, while 17 percent said they did. When it came to those who did not see the videos, 97 percent said they did not believe Hamas committed any atrocities.
Beyond the murders and kidnappings, mounting evidence has documented Hamas’ systematic use of torture and sexual violence, including mass rape, against the Israeli people on Oct. 7.
The poll found that 70 percent of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank said they are satisfied with Hamas’ actions during the war and that 63 percent said they prefer a “day after” scenario in which Hamas remains in control of Gaza rather than the Palestinian Authority, which governs in the West Bank, or other Arab countries. Over 60 percent also said they are satisfied with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s performance during the war.
When asked about support for Palestinian political parties and movements, a plurality of 34 percent chose Hamas. The terror group’s rival, Fatah, came in second with 17 percent. Back in September, Fatah enjoyed greater support than Hamas, 26 percent to 22 percent, suggesting Hamas’ decision to attack Israel on Oct. 7 helped its perception considerably among the Palestinian public.
Sixty-four percent of Palestinians said they believe Hamas will defeat Israel in the war — a six-point drop from December but still a firm majority. This is despite the fact Israel has taken well over two-thirds of Hamas’ fighters off the battlefield and destroyed nearly all of its battalions.
In December, a PCPSR poll showed similar attitudes among Palestinians. Many Israelis see Palestinian support for terrorist groups and attacks as the primary impediment to peace.
However, there were also a few more positive findings from the latest poll. Forty-five percent of Palestinians — including 62 percent from Gaza — said they believe in a two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state existing alongside an independent Jewish state of Israel. In September, only 32 percent in Gaza and the West Bank believed in such a solution, and in December that number increased slightly to 34 percent. Additionally, the proportion of Palestinians who said “armed struggle” is the best way to achieve a Palestinian state dropped from 63 percent in December to 46 percent today — although it remains higher than in Sept. 2022, when it was at 41 percent.
PCPSR’s poll was conducted from March 5 to March 10, in face-to-face interviews with 1,580 Palestinian adults from the West Bank and Gaza in randomly selected locations. The poll had a +/- 3 percent margin of error.
The post Majority of Palestinians Still Support Oct. 7 Massacre, Want Hamas to Control Gaza After War: Poll first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Netanyahu Says Israel to Begin Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations to End War, Release Hostages
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the US Independence Day reception, known as the annual “Fourth of July” celebration, hosted by Newsmax, in Jerusalem, Aug. 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/Pool
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he had directed the immediate initiation of negotiations for the release of all hostages in Gaza and the conclusion of the war there on terms acceptable to Israel.
RSS
Turkish Ports Raise New Barriers to Israel-Linked Ships, Sources Say
Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (not seen) at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, May 13, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Umit Bektas
Turkish port authorities have begun informally requiring shipping agents to provide letters declaring that vessels are not linked to Israel and not carrying military or hazardous cargo bound for the country, according to two shipping sources.
The move is another step Turkey has taken against Israel after it last year severed trade with the country, worth $7 billion annually, over its war in Gaza with Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
The sources said the harbor master’s office had verbally instructed port agents to provide written assurances, adding that there was no official circular on the issue.
One of the sources said the instruction applied to ports across Turkey.
The second source said vessels arriving directly from Israel or departing to Israeli ports would no longer be permitted to dock at Turkish ports, according to information provided by the port authority of the northwestern province of Kocaeli.
Turkish-flagged ships will also be prohibited from calling at Israeli ports, according to the source.
The transport ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The move could further complicate shipments to Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have targeted ships in the Red Sea since 2023 in what they call an act of solidarity with Palestinians.
NATO member Turkey has fiercely criticized Israel over its attacks on Gaza and called it a genocide against the Palestinians, a charge Israel denies.
The new guarantee letters should state that vessel owners, managers, and operators have no ties to Israel, and that certain types of cargo, including explosives and radioactive materials or military equipment, are not on board en route to Israel, the second source said.
RSS
Lebanon Says It Is Beginning Disarmament of Palestinian Factions in Refugee Camps
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, May 21, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanon said on Thursday it was launching the planned disarmament of Palestinian factions in refugee camps, part of a wider effort to establish a state monopoly on arms.
The planned disarmament was starting with the handover of weapons on Thursday from the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut to the Lebanese army, the Lebanese prime minister’s office said.
The move is meant to mark the start of a broader disarmament effort, with additional deliveries expected in the coming weeks from Burj al-Barajneh and other camps across the country, the office said in a statement.
An official from Fatah told Reuters that the only weapons being handed over so far were illegal arms that entered the camp 24 hours ago. TV footage showed army vehicles entering the camp ahead of a handover. Reuters could not independently verify what arms were being handed over.
As part of a truce with Israel struck in November and backed by the United States, Lebanon committed to restricting arms to six specific state security forces, in a challenge to Iran-backed Shi’ite Muslim terror group Hezbollah.
The cabinet has tasked the army with drawing up a plan to establish a state monopoly on arms by the end of the year.
The initiative to disarm Palestinian factions is part of an agreement reached during a May 21 summit between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, which affirmed Lebanon‘s sovereignty and the principle that only the state should bear arms, the statement from the prime minister’s office said.
Two days later, Lebanese and Palestinian officials agreed on a timeline and mechanism for disarmament, the statement said.
Palestinian factions have long operated with relative autonomy in several of Lebanon‘s 12 refugee camps, which fall largely outside the jurisdiction of the Lebanese state. The latest handover represents the most serious bid in years to address weapons held inside the camps.