Gazan public opinion turning against Hamas as support for disarmament grows - report

Reporting from Jerusalem, The Jerusalem Post highlights a significant shift in public sentiment within the Gaza Strip, as detailed by a KAN News report citing Western intelligence. The findings suggest that a majority of Gazans now favor the disarmament of Hamas, seeing it as the most viable route to escaping the cycle of violence and achieving long-term stability.

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the majority of the Gazan public supports the push for the terrorist organization to give up its weapons, seeing disarmament as a "way out" of long-term turmoil and violence.

This evolving perspective indicates a deep-seated desire among the populace to conclude the protracted conflict with Israel and to commence the vital process of rebuilding Gaza. The aspiration for peace and reconstruction appears to be superseding the previously dominant support for Hamas's hardline stance. KAN's on-the-ground reports suggest a notable decline in the acceptance of terrorist acts and violent resistance as legitimate means to advance Gazan interests.

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Social desire to fully end the war with Israel and begin the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip is outweighing the previously prevailing support for Hamas’s extremist ideology.

Despite this apparent public inclination towards peace and alternative leadership, Hamas remains entrenched in its refusal to disarm, a key stipulation of the October 2025 ceasefire agreement. This intransigence has stalled any meaningful progress in Gaza, with negotiations between Hamas and the Gaza Board of Peace reportedly reaching an impasse, primarily over the disarmament issue. The situation underscores the complex challenges in achieving lasting peace, with internal Palestinian dynamics playing a crucial role.

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On the ground reports, according to KAN, indicate a significant drop in support for terrorist acts and violent “resistance” as a means of advancing the interests of Gazan civilians.