Executive Summary
"51% of American youth are supportive not only of the Palestinian cause, but of Hamas."
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal provided no source or evidence for this specific statistic. Available polling data from Pew Research, Gallup, and Harvard/Harris shows nuanced views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict among young Americans, but support for "Palestinian rights" is fundamentally different from support for Hamas as an organization.
Forensic Analysis
1. The Original Statement
On December 12, 2025, Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal claimed during a public address that "51% of American youth are supportive not only of the Palestinian cause, but of Hamas." This statement was reported by multiple outlets but Mashaal provided no citation, poll reference, or methodology to substantiate the claim.
The claim conflates two distinct concepts: support for Palestinian statehood or rights (a political position held by many Americans across the political spectrum) and support for Hamas, which has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department since 1997.
2. What Polling Data Actually Shows
A comprehensive review of major polling organizations reveals a more complex picture:
Key Polling Findings on Young Americans (Ages 18-29)
- Gallup (March 2024): 18% of Americans aged 18-29 said they sympathized more with Palestinians than Israelis (not the same as supporting Hamas)
- Pew Research (March 2024): 45% of adults under 30 said Israel's reasons for fighting were not valid, but this does not equal Hamas support
- AP-NORC (May 2024): Young adults showed more sympathy for Palestinian civilians but the poll did not ask about Hamas support specifically
- Harvard/Harris (November 2023): When asked directly about Hamas, only 12% of young adults said they supported Hamas
The most direct question about Hamas support comes from Harvard/Harris polling conducted in November 2023, which found that only 12% of 18-24 year-olds expressed support for Hamas—far from Mashaal's claim of 51%.
Young Americans' Views: Palestinian Rights vs. Hamas Support
Distinction between political positions and terrorist organization support
The Critical Distinction
The fundamental flaw in Mashaal's claim is the conflation of two separate concepts:
Support for Palestinian Rights
A political position supporting a two-state solution, Palestinian self-determination, or criticism of Israeli settlement policies. This is held by diverse political figures including members of Congress, international leaders, and human rights organizations. Polling shows that younger Americans do express higher sympathy for Palestinian civilians and concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza.
Support for Hamas (The Organization)
Endorsement of a U.S.-designated terrorist organization that has conducted suicide bombings, rocket attacks on civilians, and is responsible for the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel. Supporting Hamas would mean endorsing violence against civilians as a political strategy. No credible poll shows majority support among any American demographic for Hamas as an organization.
This distinction is crucial. Axios reporting on young voter sentiment notes that while young Americans express concern about Palestinian humanitarian conditions, this does not translate to support for Hamas tactics or ideology.
Methodological Problems with the Claim
No Source Provided
Mashaal did not cite any polling organization, survey methodology, sample size, or confidence interval. The claim appears to be an assertion without empirical backing.
Conflation of Terms
The statement deliberately blurs "Palestinian cause" (a broad political concept) with "Hamas" (a specific militant organization). This rhetorical technique is misleading and not supported by actual polling questions.
Contradicts Available Data
When Americans are asked directly about Hamas (as opposed to general Israeli-Palestinian conflict questions), support ranges from 3-12% among young adults depending on the poll—nowhere near 51%.
Context: Campus Protests and Polling
Mashaal's claim may have been influenced by campus protests following the October 2023 events. However, polling on these protests shows that participants overwhelmingly framed their activism around:
- Concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza
- Opposition to U.S. military aid to Israel
- Support for a ceasefire
- Advocacy for Palestinian statehood
Even among protest participants, research from organizations monitoring campus activism indicates that explicit pro-Hamas messaging was rare and often condemned by protest organizers themselves. The vast majority of student activists distinguish between supporting Palestinian rights and endorsing Hamas violence.
Bottom Line
Khaled Mashaal's claim that "51% of American youth support Hamas" is unverified and misleading. No credible polling data supports this figure. Mashaal provided no source, and available data from Harvard/Harris, Pew Research, and Gallup shows direct Hamas support among young Americans ranges from 3-12%. The claim appears to deliberately conflate support for Palestinian rights (a mainstream political position) with support for a U.S.-designated terrorist organization—two fundamentally different concepts.