Young Americans break with older generations, back Hamas over Israel, survey finds
Most young Americans ages 18 to 24 now say they support Hamas over Israel, according to a new national survey.
The Harvard University–Harris Research Foundation poll, conducted Aug. 20–21 among 2,025 registered voters, found that 60 percent of respondents ages 18 to 24 backed Hamas—the only age group to do so.
Most young Americans ages 18 to 24 now say they support Hamas over Israel, according to a new national survey.
The Harvard University–Harris Research Foundation poll, conducted Aug. 20–21 among 2,025 registered voters, found that 60 percent of respondents ages 18 to 24 backed Hamas—the only age group to do so.
Older voters showed stronger support for Israel, with 89 percent of those 65 and older siding with the Jewish state, compared with 70 percent of 35- to 44-year-olds.
Overall, 78 percent of voters said Hamas must release all hostages without conditions, though support for that position declined with younger respondents. By party, 82 percent of Republicans and 67 percent of Democrats favored Israel.
The statistics about voters older than 24 comport with broad national support for President Trump’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism in higher education.
A poll by the Israel on Campus Coalition, released in April, found that 66 percent of American adults—and 56 percent of college students—back cutting federal funding to universities that fail to protect Jewish students or address anti-Semitism decisively.
The survey of 1,000 adults and 450 students also found 54 percent of adults support the Trump administration’s efforts to deport Mahmoud Khalil for his role in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University in 2024. Additionally, 83 percent of adults said Israel’s military actions in Gaza are justified.
Campus Reform has reported that students’ support for Hamas has been linked to repeated instances of anti-Semitism against Jewish and Israeli students on college campuses.
In July, Hillel International reported a record 2,334 anti-Semitic incidents on U.S. college campuses during the 2024–2025 school year, a sharp increase from prior years. The rise has heightened fear among Jewish students, though violent incidents slightly declined to 752.
Similarly, in November, StopAntisemitism identified a dramatic rise in anti-Semitism on U.S. college campuses, citing a 3,000 percent increase in tips and submissions.
The report found many schools ignore or worsen hostile environments, with over half of Jewish students experiencing discrimination and nearly 70 percent excluded from DEI initiatives.
The U.S. Department of Education warned 60 universities in March that they could lose federal funding if they fail to protect Jewish students and comply with Title VI anti-discrimination laws.
Campus Reform has contacted Harvard University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
