Palestinians to remain in Gaza in case of Rafah invasion

The survey by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) presents interesting findings about perceptions of a potential Israeli ground invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, al Jazeera reported on Thursday.

Half of those polled in the occupied West Bank said Palestinians would rush towards the Egyptian border in case of an invasion, with 24 percent of Gazans sharing this belief. Overall, 40 percent said they think they would go to the border.

Sixty-one percent of respondents said they believe the Egyptian army and police would shoot at Palestinians if they see them rushing toward the border en masse, with Gaza residents sharing a stronger opinion on this than their West Bank counterparts – 68 percent compared to 55 percent, respectively.

Almost 70 percent of respondents said they would not leave their homes or shelters if the border barriers between Gaza and Egypt somehow fell.

A poll conducted by the PCPSR in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank earlier this month has also found support for the October 7 attacks remains strong despite the devastating effects of the war.

After interviewing 1,580 adults in both Palestinian territories, the organization found that 71 percent believe the October 7 attacks were the correct move, a figure that is almost unchanged compared to the previous survey three months ago.

But, the perception that the decision to take the offensive was correct has dropped by 11 points in the occupied West Bank since the last survey, instead rising by 14 points in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Three-quarters of respondents said they agree that events unfolding since the start of the war have “revived international attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that could lead to increased recognition of Palestinian statehood”.