
The tentative cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is a welcome relief to many Israelis and Palestinians after more than 15 months of war.
By all accounts, both sides have suffered great trauma – from the armed attack by Hamas on Israeli soil in October, 2023, which killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the taking of 250 hostages, to Israel’s response of airstrikes and a ground invasion of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of more than 46,000 people, nearly 18,000 of them children.
Israel and Gaza have been fighting each other in one way or another for decades. This armistice is a fragile one, and only a temporary fix that won’t end hostilities between the neighbors altogether.
But, could this first step pave the way for continued peace between Israel and Palestine? Is there hope for both sides to come together and develop a two-state plan?
The big question… how do the populations of both Israel and Gaza feel about the ongoing clash between the two? Are they in favor of a resolution, or just happy with the status quo?
At a recent public policy event at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, Israeli policy expert Dahlia Scheindlin and Palestinian public opinion and polling expert Khalil Shikaki discuss the thoughts and mindsets of these two fighting populations and if peace is possible in the Middle East.
Watch Exploring Israeli-Palestinian Public Opinion: Current Perspectives.