Nearly Half of Israeli Right-Leaning Voters Back Hostage Deal With Gaza Withdrawal
Protesters call for an agreement to secure the release of Israelis held hostage in Gaza since October 2023, in front of the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Jan. 15, 2025. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)

Nearly Half of Israeli Right-Leaning Voters Back Hostage Deal With Gaza Withdrawal

A new poll finds that support for a hostage release agreement tied to a full withdrawal from Gaza extends beyond the political Center and Left, with nearly half of Right-leaning Israelis also backing the proposal.

The August 2025 Israeli Voice Index, conducted by the Viterbi Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research, reported that 62% of Jewish Israelis and 81% of Arab Israelis favor such a deal, giving it overall support of 64.5%. Among Jewish voters, backing was highest on the Left (92%) and Center (77%), while the Right was more divided, with 47% in favor and 44% opposed. With the exception of Religious Zionism voters, a majority of those aligned with both coalition and opposition parties expressed support.

The survey also revealed mixed views on other issues linked to the war. Nearly half of Jewish Israelis (49%) approved the cabinet’s decision to expand military operations in Gaza, compared to 81.5% of Arab Israelis who opposed it. “Many Israelis prioritize bringing the hostages home even at a great cost, but if a deal cannot be struck, they support the expansion of operations,” explained Prof. Tamar Hermann of the Israel Democracy Institute.

When it came to settlement policy, 53% of Jewish Israelis and 86.5% of Arab Israelis opposed building in Gaza. Opposition was strongest among the Left (93%) and Center (77%), while 61% on the Right supported settlement. Support was highest among Haredim (75%) and lowest among secular Israelis (21%).

The poll also found that 53% of respondents believe the government is not doing enough to secure the release of hostages. Confidence was highest among the Right (63%) but fell sharply in the Center (29%) and Left (6%).

The survey, conducted August 24–28, sampled 750 adults in Hebrew and Arabic, with a margin of error of ±3.58%.

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