With US elections on the horizon, there are sizeable shifts within the Democratic Party, most notably, the Biden administration's policies pertaining to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
A poll conducted by Zeteo and Data For Progress found that a majority of Democratic voters believe that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
The poll, which was conducted among 1,265 possible voters over the span of a week in April, found that almost four in 10 likely voters, as well as more than half of all Democrats, believe that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
The Israel-Hamas war, which was sparked by Hamas's October 7 massacre in southern Israel, resulted in IDF operations inside the Gaza Strip in an attempt to dismantle Hamas's hold over the Strip and free the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
More than half a year into the war, Data for Progress and Zeteo's poll has revealed that American voters are split on Israel's actions in Gaza, including whether IDF operations constitute genocide. The poll says that 39% believe that the IDF's actions constitute genocide against Palestinians, while 38% say that it isn't. However, results differ vastly among Democrats, with 56% saying that Israel is committing genocide.
The poll also revealed generational and ethnic divisions among voters, with the younger population (under 45) at 55% and relatively strong among Black (44%) and Latino (48%) voters thinking that Israel is committing genocide.
Strong support for ceasefire in Gaza among both parties
When asked about a ceasefire, 70% of those polled believe there needs to be an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, with 83% of Democrats holding that belief and 56% of Republicans saying they support a ceasefire.
Regarding the hostages held by Hamas, a majority of voters, 53%, believe that Israel's military campaign has been ineffective in freeing the hostages.
Additionally, more than a third of voters support limiting US arms sales to Israel, including a plurality of voters opposing Congress's recent decision to pledge $4 billion in missile defense systems to Israel. A majority, at 54%, support suspending all US arms to Israel as long as Israel blocks US humanitarian aid going into Gaza.
Finally, regarding the recent pro-Palestinian protests and encampments across US campuses, voters remain split on their approval of the demonstrations. According to the poll, 40% approve, while 42% disapprove of the protests. A majority of Democrats (55%) and younger demographics (59%) take a free-speech approach on the issue.