Palestinians reject Hamas disarmament before full Israeli withdrawal, poll finds

More than 70 percent of Palestinians oppose Hamas disarming before Israel completely withdraws from the Gaza Strip, according to a new survey.

The poll found that 72 percent believe Israel would resume its genocide in Gaza and refuse to withdraw fully if Hamas surrendered its weapons.

The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research published the findings on Wednesday, offering a detailed picture of Palestinian attitudes towards the future of Gaza, their political leadership and the prospect of Palestinian statehood.

Even after Hamas accepted a proposal from Nickolay Mladenov, head of the US-backed "Board of Peace", 40 percent of respondents expect “the current situation to continue, with some continued killings”.

Israel has rejected the US proposal.

Another 30 percent expect calm to prevail, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to take control and reconstruction to begin.

Palestinians reject failed leadership

Opposition to disarmament, however, does not translate into satisfaction with the Palestinian political establishment.

The survey found that 79 percent want Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to resign. Support for his departure has remained between 79 and 89 percent during the past three years.

Meanwhile, 83 percent believe corruption exists within PA institutions, while 65 percent regard the authority as a burden rather than a national achievement.

Marwan Barghouti, the prominent Palestinian leader who has been imprisoned by Israel for more than two decades, remains the preferred successor to Abbas.

He received the support of 39 percent of respondents, followed by Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya with 16 percent, Mohammed Dahlan with 15 percent and Mustafa Barghouti with 6 percent.

Among likely voters in a hypothetical presidential election, Marwan Barghouti would secure 54 percent, compared with 26 percent for Hayya and just 14 percent for Abbas.

The findings also reflect the insecurity Palestinians experience under Israeli occupation and war.

Seventy-six percent said they and their families feel unsafe, while only 23 percent said they feel safe.

Little trust in US-backed Gaza plan

Only 24 percent trust the Board of Peace overseeing the Trump administration’s Gaza plan, while 66 percent distrust it.

In the occupied West Bank, 87 percent fear that Israel’s expanding settlements and outposts could cost them their homes or land.

Palestinians also remain sceptical that removing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would produce meaningful change.

While 34 percent believe Israeli policy would remain unchanged under an opposition government, 33 percent expect it to worsen and 28 percent believe it would improve.

Despite the vast destruction of Gaza and accelerating Israeli annexation in the West Bank, 43 percent said the Palestinian people’s highest priority should remain securing a full Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders and establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.