Is public opinion shifting in Israel over the war?

International criticism and a lack of progress in freeing hostages is piling pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli protests in Tel Aviv
Weekly protests have been taking place in Tel Aviv since the war began
(Image credit: Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

As Israel's relations with its international allies grow increasingly strained, Benjamin Netanyahu is also battling to retain public support within his own country for the war against Hamas.

Amid a global outcry over the invasion of Rafah, a recent poll by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 56% of Jewish Israelis thought "reaching a hostage deal with Hamas should be the country’s top national priority", said The Times of Israel, while 37% believed military action should "take precedence".

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Richard Windsor is a freelance writer for The Week Digital. He began his journalism career writing about politics and sport while studying at the University of Southampton. He then worked across various football publications before specialising in cycling for almost nine years, covering major races including the Tour de France and interviewing some of the sport’s top riders. He led Cycling Weekly’s digital platforms as editor for seven of those years, helping to transform the publication into the UK’s largest cycling website. He now works as a freelance writer, editor and consultant.