80% of Americans support Israel instead of Hamas: Poll

Many Americans support Israel over the terrorist organization Hamas in a poll released on Monday, with 80% of respondents saying they support Israel more in the conflict.

The poll comes as anti-Israel groups hunker down at dozens of colleges and universities nationwide. The groups have been protesting over the war, with students calling for their schools to cut financial ties with Israel, and divest from companies that have helped Israel. There have also been threats made against Jewish students.

The report by the Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll found older voters supported Israel more than younger voters, with over 90% of voters older than 54 claiming they support Israel over Hamas. Among voters aged 45 to 54, 85% said they support Israel, and three quarters of the next bracket down said the same. But among younger voters aged 18-24, just 57% said they support Israel, and 64% of voters 25 to 34 said the same.

Mark Penn, the co-director of the study, said the poll showed the protests were not in line with broader views of the conflict nationwide, according to The Hill. He also noted that the protests did not change the support for Israel, after a poll last month showed similar numbers. In last month's poll, 79% of respondents supported Israel.

The poll also showed that the majority of Americans (61%) only want a cease-fire if Hamas is removed from power and the hostages it took are freed. However, 39% support an unconditional cease-fire. 

The cease-fire was also broken down by age, where more than half of young voters aged 18-34 want the unconditional ceasefire. Older Americans said they support the cease-fire if hostages are freed and without Hamas in power. 

The Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey was conducted from April 24-25 and polled 1,961 registered voters. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus two percent.