The vast majority of Israeli Jews are not troubled by the forced starvation and suffering among Palestinians in Gaza, according to a new survey.
The poll, conducted in late July by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute, found that 79 percent of Jewish respondents said they were "not so troubled" or "not troubled at all" by the famine in Gaza, according to Haaretz.
In contrast, 86 percent of Palestinian citizens of Israel said they were "very troubled" or "somewhat troubled" by the situation in Gaza. Concern was also significantly higher among left-wing Jews, with 70 percent expressing distress over the humanitarian crisis.
The findings come as Gaza faces what aid agencies describe as a worst-case famine scenario.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has warned that half a million people in the territory are in catastrophic food insecurity, with the entire population expected to face acute shortages by September.
According to the World Health Organisation, at least 74 people have died from malnutrition so far this year, including 63 in July alone. The dead include 24 children under five and 38 adults. Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is acutely malnourished.
Humanitarian organisations, the United Nations, and rights groups have accused Israel of using starvation as a method of warfare, pointing to tight restrictions on humanitarian access, the destruction of food production and storage facilities, and the use of lethal force against civilians attempting to collect aid.
The UN has said such actions may constitute war crimes. Since late May, more than 850 Palestinians have reportedly been killed while trying to reach food distribution sites.
The survey also revealed stark divisions over whether Israel is making meaningful efforts to avoid inflicting unnecessary suffering on Palestinians in Gaza. Among Jewish respondents, 78 percent agreed that it is, compared to just 22.5 percent of Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Two-thirds of Palestinian respondents, and 15 percent of Jewish ones, said Israel could significantly reduce the suffering but chooses not to. A majority of left-leaning Jews—56 percent—shared that view.
When asked about the credibility of Israeli military reports on civilian casualties in Gaza, 70 percent of Jews said they trusted the reports "to a very large or fairly large extent", while only 29.5 percent of Palestinian citizens of Israel said the same.
The poll also touched on settler violence in the West Bank. Overall, 44 percent said enforcement agencies are too lenient with Israeli settlers who attack soldiers, police, or Palestinians.
Community responses varied sharply: 67 percent of ultra-Orthodox respondents said settlers are treated too harshly, compared to just 7.5 percent of secular Jews. Similar patterns emerged in views on how settlers are treated when committing violence against Palestinians.
The poll was conducted between 27 and 31 July, surveying 601 Hebrew-speaking and 152 Arabic-speaking respondents over the age of 18.