Support for armed struggle as the best means to end Israeli occupation and achieve statehood rose among Palestinians while backing for the fighter group Hamas also increased slightly in the last three months, according to an opinion poll.

The poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) showed support for armed struggle climbed by 8 percentage points to 54 per cent of those surveyed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Support for Hamas rose by 6 percentage points to 40pc. Fatah, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, had 20pc backing.

The poll found that two-thirds thought the Oct 7 attack was a correct decision — a 4 percentage point drop from the previous poll.

The decrease came from Gaza, where 57pc of respondents said the decision was correct, down from 71pc in March.

It showed that about 80pc of Palestinians in Gaza had lost a relative or had a relative that had been injured in the bombardment.

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