section_path: Campaign issues/Foreign policy/Gaza war views
section_name: Gaza war views
paragraph_text: Gaza war views
  
  Polling indicated that the majority of voters support a ceasefire and American mediation in the Gaza war. According to a YouGov poll in March 2024, 52% of Americans supported stopping weapons shipments to Israel, coming largely from Americans who voted for Biden in 2020 (62% support) and people who did not vote in 2020 (60%). Republicans opposed halting weapons shipments by 25 points. Republicans generally supported arms to Israel, while Democrats were divided on the issue.
  
  Harris was expected to largely continue Biden's approach to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, although she is seen as tougher on Israel and more sympathetic to Palestinians than Biden or Trump. Following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Harris at first supported Israel's offensive, saying "the threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated". Since then, she criticized Israel's actions and the Gaza humanitarian crisis. In March 2024, Harris opposed Israel's invasion of Rafah, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and called the situation in Gaza a "humanitarian catastrophe". Harris supported continued aid to Israel and Palestine but insisted that Israel should agree to a ceasefire and hostage deal and both sides should move towards a two-state solution. In the Democratic primaries, the Uncommitted National Movement led a protest campaign against Biden over the war, calling for a ceasefire and arms embargo on Israel. It received over 700,000 votes and 36 delegates. Harris was seen as more sympathetic to Palestinians, and she and her campaign interacted more with Arab-American and Uncommitted leaders; however, Harris refused to halt weapons shipments to Israel or shift policy much from Biden, saying Israel has a right to defend itself. By October, Uncommitted encouraged its members to vote for Harris.
  
  During his first term as president, Trump consistently supported Israel. He presented himself as a stronger defender of Israel than Biden, and was seen as less sympathetic to Palestine than Biden or Harris. Trump was expected to continue arming Israel, likely with "no strings attached" for humanitarian concerns. He voiced strong support for Israel's war on Hamas and Gaza, saying that Israel must "finish the problem". Trump told donors he would "crush" pro-Palestinian protests, deport non-citizen protesters, and "set the movement back 25 or 30 years". Trump said he would ban Gaza residents from entering the United States. At times, he was critical of Israel's war in Gaza, saying Israel should "get it over with... get back to peace and stop killing people".
  
  Israeli-American billionaire Miriam Adelson sought support from candidate Trump for Israel's annexation of the West Bank, pledging more than $100 million to Trump's campaign in exchange for U.S. recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the region. In January 2025, the Times of Israel reported that Adelson gave Trump's campaign at least $100 million in October 2024, making her that campaign's third largest donor.
  
  Polling indicated that the majority of voters support a ceasefire and American mediation in the Gaza war. According to a YouGov poll in March 2024, 52% of Americans supported stopping weapons shipments to Israel, coming largely from Americans who voted for Biden in 2020 (62% support) and people who did not vote in 2020 (60%). Republicans opposed halting weapons shipments by 25 points. Republicans generally supported arms to Israel, while Democrats were divided on the issue.
  
  Harris was expected to largely continue Biden's approach to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, although she is seen as tougher on Israel and more sympathetic to Palestinians than Biden or Trump. Following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Harris at first supported Israel's offensive, saying "the threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated". Since then, she criticized Israel's actions and the Gaza humanitarian crisis. In March 2024, Harris opposed Israel's invasion of Rafah, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and called the situation in Gaza a "humanitarian catastrophe". Harris supported continued aid to Israel and Palestine but insisted that Israel should agree to a ceasefire and hostage deal and both sides should move towards a two-state solution. In the Democratic primaries, the Uncommitted National Movement led a protest campaign against Biden over the war, calling for a ceasefire and arms embargo on Israel. It received over 700,000 votes and 36 delegates. Harris was seen as more sympathetic to Palestinians, and she and her campaign interacted more with Arab-American and Uncommitted leaders; however, Harris refused to halt weapons shipments to Israel or shift policy much from Biden, saying Israel has a right to defend itself. By October, Uncommitted encouraged its members to vote for Harris.
  
  During his first term as president, Trump consistently supported Israel. He presented himself as a stronger defender of Israel than Biden, and was seen as less sympathetic to Palestine than Biden or Harris. Trump was expected to continue arming Israel, likely with "no strings attached" for humanitarian concerns. He voiced strong support for Israel's war on Hamas and Gaza, saying that Israel must "finish the problem". Trump told donors he would "crush" pro-Palestinian protests, deport non-citizen protesters, and "set the movement back 25 or 30 years". Trump said he would ban Gaza residents from entering the United States. At times, he was critical of Israel's war in Gaza, saying Israel should "get it over with... get back to peace and stop killing people".
  
  Israeli-American billionaire Miriam Adelson sought support from candidate Trump for Israel's annexation of the West Bank, pledging more than $100 million to Trump's campaign in exchange for U.S. recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the region. In January 2025, the Times of Israel reported that Adelson gave Trump's campaign at least $100 million in October 2024, making her that campaign's third largest donor.