Opinion Poll: Israeli Killings Causing Rise in Hamas’ Popularity

Hamas popularity on the rise: poll

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AFP) — The popularity of Hamas has risen in recent months since the Gaza Strip's border breach with Egypt, deadly Israeli strikes and the lack of progress in renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, according to an opinion poll released on Monday.

"A major shift in Hamas's favour occurred during the last three months with about 10 percent of the population shifting their attitudes and perceptions," said the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research in a statement accompanying the results.

The rise in Hamas's popularity is partly due to the recent breach of Gaza's border with Egypt and the high number of Palestinian casualties in Israeli strikes on the coastal strip, the poll said.

"These developments managed to present Hamas as successful in breaking the siege (on Gaza) and as a victim of Israeli attacks," it said.

"These also presented Palestinian president Abbas and his Fatah faction as impotent, unable to change the bitter reality in the West Bank or ending Israeli occupation through diplomacy," it said.