Majority of Israelis dissatisfied with Netanyahu's performance in war on Gaza

By Saeed Amouri

JERUSALEM (AA) – A recent poll revealed on Sunday that 65% of Israelis are dissatisfied with the performance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip.

The survey conducted by the Israeli Kantar Institute included 756 people and showed that 63% expressed satisfaction with the performance of Defense Minister Yuval Gantz in the conflict.

According to the survey, only 25% of Israelis wanted Netanyahu to stay in office as the prime minister.

If general elections were held today, the poll suggests, Gantz's National Unity Party would secure 33 seats in the 120-member Knesset. In comparison, Netanyahu's Likud Party would secure 20 seats.

According to another poll published on Jan. 2 by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, 48% of Israelis preferred Gantz as prime minister, while only 34% believed that Netanyahu was suitable for his position.

Israel has launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 22,800 Palestinians have since been killed and 58,416 others injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio​​​​​​​