Young people are more likely to blame Israel for the current conflict in the Gaza Strip than they are Hamas, according to a recent Pew Research Center poll.
The statistics show that 29% of 18-29-year olds believe Israel to be responsible for the current chaos, while only 21% blame Hamas. In contrast, only 19% of total respondents hold Israel accountable, and a solid 40% place blame on Hamas.
Young Americans are split on whether or not Israel has gone too far in the escalation of the current conflict. Specifically, 29% of those aged 18-29 believe Israel has gone too far, and 31% say the country has acted appropriately.
The poll also shows that young individuals are less likely than their older counterparts to be following the situation in Gaza closely. Only 23% of 18-29-year olds surveyed said they are following the crisis closely, while 32% of the total sample replied as such. A whopping 47% of those 65 and older described themselves as paying very close attention to the violence.
The breakdown along party lines also shows disagreements between Republicans and Democrats. While an overwhelming 60% of Republican respondents said Hamas is responsible for the violence, Democrats are far less certain.
Twenty-nine percent of Democrats surveyed blamed Hamas, while 26% held Israel accountable.
And, while the majority of Republicans say Israel has responded just right, a slim majority of Democrats think Israel has actually gone too far.
The survey was conducted between July 24 and 27, and 1,005 adults participated in the interviews.
Despite attempts by Secretary of State John Kerry and the U.N. Security Council to urge for a ceasefire, Hamas and Israel have continued to fight one another since a 12-hour temporary ceasefire expired Sunday.
