Most Israelis believe that Israel has lost every war it has fought since 7 October, including against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran, according to a new survey published by Israel’s Kan News agency.
The poll found that 57 per cent of respondents believe Israel has not won in any arena since 7 October. Only 28 per cent said Israel had won in at least one arena, while 15 per cent said they did not know.
The findings point to a crisis of confidence in Israel’s wars and assaults across the region, even as Israeli public opinion continues to show overwhelming support for the genocide in Gaza and wider military expansion.
When broken down by front, just 17 per cent of respondents said Israel had won in Syria, while 16 per cent said it had won in Gaza and against Iran. A further 14 per cent pointed to Lebanon, 12 per cent to Yemen and 11 per cent to the occupied West Bank.
The survey also found that 73 per cent of Israelis believe leaving Hamas or Hezbollah armed would pose the danger of another attack like 7 October. Only 10 per cent said it would not, while 17 per cent answered that they did not know.
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On accountability for the failures surrounding 7 October and the war that followed, 54 per cent said they support a state commission of inquiry. Another 23 per cent backed a government commission of inquiry, seven per cent opposed any inquiry and 16 per cent said they did not know.
The poll also found that 56 per cent of respondents believe US President Donald Trump should continue to pressure President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption. A further 26 per cent said Trump should not intervene, while 18 per cent said they did not know.
The results expose a striking contradiction in Israeli society. While most Israelis believe the state has lost its wars since 7 October, polls continue to show broad support for the assault on Gaza, where Israel stands accused of genocide, and for the expansion of war across Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran.
Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed over 73 thousand Palestinians, most of them women and children, destroyed most of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure and displaced the overwhelming majority of the population. Human rights organisations, genocide scholars and legal experts have increasingly described Israel’s actions as genocidal, while the International Court of Justice is hearing South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.
The Kan News survey suggests that, despite Israel’s overwhelming military superiority and support from the US and other Western allies, many Israelis do not believe the state has achieved victory in any of the wars it has launched or escalated since 7 October.
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