Arab world changes its attitude to October 7: Hamas is losing support

Three years after Hamas's attack on Israel, a rift is growing in the Arab world over how to assess the events of October 7, 2023. According to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (August 2026), only 20% of Palestinians consider Hamas the winner — against 39% in October 2025. At the same time, 62% of Gaza residents oppose disarming Hamas before Israeli troops withdraw.

Three years after Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the rift in the Arab world over how to assess those events is widening. A study by the Psychological Warfare group, reported by Channel 9, analyzed public opinion polls, media publications, political statements and social media discussions. According to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research conducted in August 2026, only 20% of respondents considered Hamas the winner of the confrontation — against 39% in October 2025. 60% of Palestinians said there was no winner, and 15% named Israel as the victorious side. Among residents of the Gaza Strip, about 65% agreed that armed resistance did not provide protection for Palestinians and led to large-scale destruction; in Judea and Samaria, 35% shared that position. At the same time, 62% of Gaza residents opposed disarming Hamas before a full withdrawal of Israeli troops, while in Judea and Samaria the figure was 79%. The poll revealed a crisis of trust in the Palestinian leadership: Hamas and Fatah each received about 24% support, and 44% said neither organization deserves the right to govern Palestinians. About 84% spoke in favor of Mahmoud Abbas's resignation. According to Arab Barometer, in Egypt and Jordan about 4% of respondents supported normalization of relations with Israel; in Egypt, 95% were opposed. The authors stress that the results do not indicate a single shift in the position of the entire Arab world.