There has long been debate over where Hamas, the Islamist Palestinian faction, enjoys the most support. Some argue it’s in Gaza, where Hamas was founded on December 15, 1987, shortly after the First Intifada began. Others suggest its popularity spread throughout the Arab world as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Regardless, the movement has historically lacked majority support among Palestinians.
Since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in 1994, polls have consistently shown that Hamas’s support ranged between 18% and 24%, until the pivotal elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) on January 25, 2006.
Hamas won the 2006 elections, not due to overwhelming public support, but because Fatah, its main rival, saw its votes split among independent candidates who defied party orders. This division handed Hamas an unexpected victory.
After seizing control of Gaza through a violent coup in June 2007, Hamas failed to deliver on its promises of “change and reform” from the 2006 elections. Instead, it has ruled Gaza with authoritarian force.
Why should we have elections every four years? Hamas can stay in power for as long as it takes.
As the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas believed it could hold power indefinitely—either through military force or a single electoral victory. The group’s first foreign minister, Mahmoud al-Zahhar, once said, “Why should we have elections every four years? Hamas can stay in power for as long as it takes. The last elections were in 1996. And here we are. We went to elections ten years later and won.”
Zahhar didn’t bother mentioning the collapse of the 2000 Camp David talks and the subsequent Palestinian Second Intifada that broke out, disrupting the political and daily life of Palestinians, including elections. Hamas has been against peace between Palestinians and Israelis from day one in December 1987.
The PLC convened for the first and only time after the 2006 elections. In 2018, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas officially dissolved it, citing inactivity and constitutional paralysis.
In the past, reports of Hamas’ authoritarian rule in Gaza were slow to reach the outside world. Even Palestinians in the West Bank were largely unaware of the extent of the harshness in Gaza, where Hamas was seen more as a resistance group willing to confront Israel than as an oppressive regime.
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A staunch Fatah member who spent years in Israeli prisons blamed the PA for failing to support Gaza’s residents. He suggested the PA could have redirected Israel’s military focus to the West Bank. “I cannot understand why we have a national security force that does nothing to maintain our national security,” he told The Media Line, requesting anonymity
When asked how the Palestinian National Forces could stand against Israel’s military, especially when heavily armed nations like Syria and Iran struggled, he had no response.
After Hamas launched its October 7, 2023, attack, the group expected widespread praise, but it backfired. Instead, Hamas has faced severe losses, and the people of Gaza have borne the brunt of the consequences. Israel’s retaliation has killed thousands and devastated Gaza, leaving many Palestinians to question Hamas’ strategy.
Counting the flogs isn’t like feeling them on your back
While Hamas’s support in Gaza has steadily declined since 2007, it still enjoys some backing in the West Bank, where people haven’t directly experienced its oppressive rule. As the Arabic saying goes, “Counting the flogs isn’t like feeling them on your back.”
A recent poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy Studies and Research (PCPSR)—the fourth in a year tracking Hamas’s popularity since October 7—shows that the group has more support in the West Bank than in Gaza. Some interpret this as a sign that West Bank Palestinians prefer Hamas to the PA.
But the poll clearly indicates that Hamas’ popularity has declined in both Gaza and the West Bank since October 7. Hamas claims that its elite Nukhba Force only targeted Israeli military facilities and had nothing to do with attacks on Israeli civilians, but there is a deep and widespread belief that Hamas is to blame for everything that has happened because it started the violence.
This sentiment is shared by Israelis and Palestinians alike, particularly those in Gaza, although support for Hamas remains stronger in the West Bank.
Videos have emerged of frustrated Palestinians in Gaza calling for help—not just from Israeli attacks but also from Hamas’ harsh governance. Anger toward Hamas is rising, especially among displaced people living in tents, who contrast their plight with that of displaced Israelis staying in hotels.
Support for Hamas
The poll revealed that overall support for Hamas has decreased. In December, 72% of respondents from both Gaza and the West Bank supported Hamas’ decision to attack Israel on October 7, but by September, that figure had dropped to 54%. This sharp decline reflects the growing dissatisfaction with Hamas among Palestinians.
A further drop in Hamas’s popularity is likely as the conflict drags on. The death toll in Gaza continues to rise, with 90% of the population displaced and still unable to return home, particularly in northern Gaza. Given these conditions, it’s unlikely that Hamas will regain much support.
The poll shows Hamas is losing support in both Gaza and the West Bank. In Gaza, those who supported the October 7 attack fell from 57% in December to 39% in September. In the West Bank, support dropped from 82% to 64%.
However, Israel should not take comfort in these declining numbers. As Hamas’ popularity fades, Palestinians increasingly resent Israel’s military actions, which many see as disproportionate.
The undeniable reality is that the actions of both Hamas and Israel have shifted global attention to the conflict. Israel’s military response has provoked global outrage, just as Hamas’ October 7 attack did. The victims of both sides—not the actions of Hamas—have revived international focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Some may misinterpret the poll results to suggest that a majority of Palestinians support Hamas. Others argue that the PA is no longer viable, implying that Palestinians prefer Hamas. However, this view oversimplifies the complex political reality.