What Palestinians Really Think of Hamas

The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire, a non-partisan nonprofit, recorded this interview with Michael Robbins Ph.D., Director and Co-Principal Investigator at Arab Barometer in an effort to share insights into how Palestinians really feel about Hamas. This is a part of the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire’s efforts to contextualize the ongoing crisis in Israel and Palestine.

Arab Barometer has been working since 2006 to collect survey data from people living across the Middle East and North Africa since 2006 by conducting face-to-face interviews in people’s homes, providing the most accurate database of community attitudes in many of these countries. They completed their latest round of interviews in Gaza and the West Bank on October 6th, 2023, just one day before Hamas’ attack on civilians. This data provides a unique insight into the feelings expressed by 499 Palestinians living in Gaza on the eve of this crisis. Since the attack, realities have shifted dramatically, meaning that perceptions may have shifted along with the developing crisis. This discussion provides data driven insights into what Palestinians were thinking and how they related to the leadership of Hamas in Gaza. It is an important data point for anyone trying to understand the conflict and the potential ramifications for the prospects for peace in the region.