A recent Channel 12 News poll reveals that a significant majority of Israelis prioritize a deal to bring home the 101 hostages held in the Gaza Strip over maintaining a military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, the border axis between Egypt and Gaza.
According to the survey, 60% of respondents believe that securing the hostages should take precedence, while only 28% view keeping Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops in the corridor as more important. The remaining 12% of those polled were undecided.
The poll also explored public sentiment toward the Israeli government’s efforts to return the hostages, with a clear majority expressing dissatisfaction.
A striking 61% of respondents said they do not believe the government is doing all it can to bring the hostages home. Meanwhile, 34% expressed confidence in the government’s actions, and 5% were uncertain.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance on the issue has drawn scrutiny, with the majority of respondents attributing his insistence on maintaining an IDF presence in the Philadelphi Corridor to political considerations rather than security concerns.
Voters aligned with Netanyahu’s Likud party were more likely to support continued military presence over a hostage deal, underscoring the polarization within Israeli society on the issue.
The survey results also highlighted a significant trust gap between Netanyahu and key opposition figures.
When asked about trust in political leaders, 35% of respondents indicated they trust Opposition Leader Yair Lapid more than Netanyahu, compared to 33% who expressed greater trust in the prime minister. Notably, 28% of respondents said they trust neither leader.
National Unity leader Benny Gantz fared even better in the poll, with 41% of respondents indicating they trust Gantz more than Netanyahu, while only 27% said they trust the prime minister more.
However, the highest trust rating was given to former prime minister Naftali Bennett, with 44% of the public expressing more confidence in him over Netanyahu. Only 29% of respondents said they trust Netanyahu more than Bennett.
Responsibility for the October 7 Hamas attack was also a key focus of the poll. A plurality of respondents, 43%, assigned the most blame to Netanyahu for the events that triggered the ongoing conflict with Gaza.
In contrast, 18% said they believed IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi was most responsible, followed by Shin Bet Chief Ronan Bar with 14% and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with 6%.
The poll also delved into public opinion on the contentious issue of Jewish prayer at the Temple Mount. The findings revealed that more than two-thirds of Israelis, 68%, oppose altering the status quo to allow Jewish prayers at the flashpoint site.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has pushed to formally change the existing arrangement, a move that has sparked significant controversy and opposition.
Channel 12 did not provide specific details regarding the poll’s methodology or its margin of error. Nevertheless, the results offer a snapshot of the complex and divided public opinion in Israel, as the nation grapples with both internal and external challenges.