Michael Gabriel Hernandez
26 October 2023•Update: 26 October 2023
WASHINGTON
Approval for US President Joe Biden among his fellow Democrats has fallen to its lowest point during his nearly three years in office amid his handling of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, according to a poll released Thursday.
Biden's approval plummeted 11% among Democrats since September to hit the lowest point during his presidency, according to polling firm Gallup's survey. Another 4% of Independent voters have also jumped ship. The president's overall approval rating is now just 37%, matching a personal low set in April amid soaring inflation.
Gallup conducted its survey from Oct. 2-Oct. 23, spanning the time since Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel that killed 1,400 Israelis and led to more than 200 others being captured and brought back to Gaza.
In retaliation, Israel has ordered a "full siege" on the coastal enclave, and has been carrying out a sweeping bombing campaign across Gaza. The Palestinian death toll now stands in excess of 7,000 people, including 2,913 children, 1,709 women, and 397 elderly individuals, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.
Some Democrats have called on Biden to do more to stop the bloodshed and protect Gaza's over 2 million inhabitants. But the president has resisted calls for a cease-fire and has continued to fully support the ongoing offensive.
"Israel has the right and, I would add, responsibility to respond to the slaughter of their people. And we will ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against these terrorists. That’s a guarantee," Biden said Wednesday while hosting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House.
"Hamas is hiding behind Palestinian civilians, and it’s despicable and, not surprisingly, cowardly as well. This also puts an added burden on Israel while they go after Hamas," he said.
Gallup's findings come half-a-year after it released a survey that indicated Democratic support for Palestinians surpassed that for Israelis for the first time on record. Its poll in March found Democrats sympathize more with Palestinians by a nine-point margin -- 49% versus 38%.
"The daily results strongly suggest that Democrats’ approval of Biden fell sharply in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas and Biden’s promise of full support for Israel on the same day," Gallup said in releasing its polling Thurday.
"Biden’s current 75% approval rating among Democrats is well below the 86% average from his own party throughout his presidency," it added.
