Britain backs immediate ceasefire in Gaza war, new poll shows

A new poll shows strong support among Britons for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The survey, which comes amid Israel's brutal war on the besieged Palestinian territories, was conducted by pollster YouGov in Great Britain on December 20 and 21 with 2,085 adults.

The poll found that 48 percent of people believe there should be an immediate ceasefire, and 23 percent believe it should, for a total of 71 percent.

According to a survey conducted by the humanitarian group Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu), 12 percent think there should be no immediate end to the wars.

„Three months of bombing and siege have resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” MAP CEO Melanie Ward said in a press release Wednesday.

„Children are starving, the health system is collapsing and nearly two million people have been displaced from their homes.

„The message from the public could not be clearer: this must end now, and our politicians must play their part in making it happen.”

Both the UK government and the main opposition Labor party have expressed support for a „sustainable ceasefire” in the Gaza war, halting calls for an immediate end to the fighting.

Israel's war on Gaza has hit hospitals, ambulances and residential buildings. It killed 23,350 people, most of them women and children.

Caabu director Chris Doyle said the YouGov poll showed a „massive gap” between the UK's political leaders and the public.

„The latter can clearly see that an immediate ceasefire is essential,” he said on social media platform X.

The survey also revealed that 22 percent of Britons sympathize more with the Palestinian side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Sixteen percent feel closer to the Israeli side, while 32 percent sympathize equally with both, and 29 percent say they don't know.

Support for the Palestinians is highest among younger adults, with 39 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds sympathizing with them more.

Just eight percent of that cohort feel more connected to Israelis.

The survey also asked Britons how they approve or disapprove of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with 17 percent of the UK government so far either strongly or somewhat approving.

29 percent are not strongly or somewhat in favor, 31 percent are neither in favor nor against, and 22 percent say they don't know.

Just nine per cent approve of Labour's handling of the issue, while 30 per cent disapprove.

Another 29 percent neither approve nor disagree, and 33 percent don't know.

The Qatar-based Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies announced the results of a survey of 8,000 men and women from 16 Arab countries on Wednesday.

Asked about states' responses to Israel's war on Gaza, the survey found that more than three-quarters of respondents viewed the UK's position negatively.