Poll finds dramatic rise in Palestinian support for Hamas

A new poll finds a dramatic surge in Palestinian support for Hamas following last month’s Gaza war, with around three-quarters viewing the terrorist group as victors in a battle against Israel to defend Jerusalem and its holy sites.

The poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research also finds plummeting support for PA President Mahmoud Abbas, who was sidelined by the war but is seen internationally as a partner for reviving the long-defunct peace process.

The poll finds that 77% of Palestinians believe Hamas emerged as a winner, with nearly as many saying that it fought the war to defend Jerusalem and its holy sites, rather than as part of an internal struggle with Abbas’ Fatah party.

The poll also finds that 53% of Palestinians believe Hamas is “most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people,” while only 14% prefer Abbas’s secular Fatah party.