Nearly 70% Israelis favour hostage deal over continuing Gaza war: Poll

Around 70 per cent of Israelis want a hostage deal with Hamas, even if that requires ending the war, a poll by Channel 12 on Friday (Nov 15) suggested.

The poll asked Israelis what is more important, a hostage deal or continuing the war in Gaza?

Close to 69 per cent of Israelis said the hostage deal is more important whereas 20 per cent of respondents said continuing the war holds more importance.

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A slim majority said in the poll that a hostage deal has not been yet on the table primarily because of political reasons.

The Times of Israel reported that even a few Likud voters, among 46 per cent, also said in the poll that they support a hostage deal that ends the war.

36 per cent of the respondents said they prefer that the war continues whereas 18 per cent said they were unsure.

The poll asked Israelis why they thought a hostage deal was still not on the table even after around thirteen months into the war since October 7, 2023.

52 per cent of respondents said according to them the prime reason behind this was politics.

Some 36 per cent said the deal had not been reached because of substantive reasons.

In October, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reported telling Likud lawmakers that Israel could not accept Hamas' demand to end the war in exchange for the hostage deal, according to The Times of Israel.

Netanyahu claimed that a hostage deal would allow Hamas to retain in Gaza in some form.

But the Israeli prime minister is expected to make way for the deal due to the constant political pressure from far-right political partners to ignore which can make him lose power, The Times of Israel reported.

The poll also asked Israelis who could be the better replacement for Netanyahu.

Around 37 per cent of respondents said they would prefer former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett whereas 35 per cent remained Netanyahu supporter.

25 per cent of respondents said they preferred neither of them as Israel's ideal prime minister.

When the poll asked who was more suitable as prime minister, Netanyahu or National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz, 37 per cent picked Netanyahu and 30 per cent picked Gantz, while30 per cent chose neither of them.

The poll results came amid the unverified reports that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara may try to sideline Netanyahu from the post of prime minister as he will undergo a corruption trial next month.

The poll had a question on Netanyahu's corruption trial as well in which it asked Israelis if they thought Netanyahu could serve as prime minister and manage his criminal case at the same time.

Around 50 per cent said he could not, but 42 per cent said he could manage both.

(With inputs from agencies)