A new analysis has found that at least 1,200 Palestinian families have been completely wiped out in the ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza, according to data from the Gaza Health Ministry reviewed by Reuters. The findings add to growing documentation of civilian casualties as Israel’s military campaign continues.
At the same time, a new Gallup poll has recorded the lowest-ever level of U.S. public support for Israel, with a sharp decline among Democratic voters.
The Reuters analysis identified at least 1,238 Palestinian families—defined as married couples and their children—that have been entirely killed, leaving no survivors.
Among the affected families, those with five to nine members make up approximately a third of those wiped out. At least one family of 14 people was entirely killed in an Israeli strike.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 48,000 people have been confirmed dead. However, Gaza officials estimate that the actual death toll is much higher, possibly exceeding 61,000, as thousands of bodies remain trapped under the rubble.
Over 2,200 children under the age of two have been killed, according to the analysis. Nearly a quarter of all recorded deaths were children aged 12 or younger, while almost a third were under 18.
Health officials estimate that at least 14,000 bodies remain buried beneath debris. Due to Israel’s blockade of heavy equipment, recovery efforts have been hindered.
Among the survivors are individuals who lost their entire families. Thirteen-year-old Mohammed Al-Agha lost both his parents, his brother, and two sisters—ages 11, 10, and 8. Abdelsalam Al-Banna, another survivor, lost his nine-year-old daughter, five-year-old son, and wife in an Israeli airstrike on December 15, 2023.
Banna described spending a week trapped under rubble before he and two others found their way out. “Nothing is more painful than this. I can’t put them to rest,” he told Reuters, explaining that Israel’s blockade has prevented him from retrieving the bodies of his wife and children.
A newly released Gallup poll shows that American public support for Israel is at its lowest recorded level, while sympathy for Palestinians is at its highest this century.
Forty-six percent of Americans say they sympathize more with Israel, marking an eight-point drop since March 2023. At the same time, sympathy for Palestinians has increased to 33 percent, the highest level recorded in Gallup’s polling history.
The data shows a significant shift among Democratic voters. In 2023, Gallup found that Democrats, for the first time, sympathized more with Palestinians than Israelis. That gap has since widened, with 59 percent of Democrats now saying they favor Palestinians, compared to 21 percent who favor Israel.
Support for an independent Palestinian state has also reached record levels among Democratic voters, with 76 percent saying they favor the idea.
Among independent voters, support for Israel has also declined significantly, dropping from 67 percent in 2023 to 48 percent in 2024.
The shift in public sentiment comes amid continued international scrutiny of Israel’s military actions. The International Court of Justice is reviewing genocide allegations, while the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Meanwhile, humanitarian groups have raised concerns about conditions in Gaza. Doctors Without Borders has criticized Israel’s restrictions on aid, stating, “Humanitarian aid should never be used as a tool of war.”
Kenneth Roth, former director of Human Rights Watch, said Israel’s blockade of humanitarian supplies is a “war-crime starvation strategy.”
Israel recently reinstated a blockade on essential goods entering Gaza, halting food, water, and medical supplies. A woman living in the heavily damaged Jabaliya refugee camp told the Associated Press, “There will be famine and chaos. Closing the crossings is a heinous crime.”
As Israel’s military campaign continues, the death toll and humanitarian impact in Gaza remain under close observation by international agencies. Meanwhile, shifting public opinion in the U.S. may play a role in future policy decisions regarding U.S.-Israel relations.
Gallup’s findings highlight a divide between Democratic voters and party leadership, as elected officials continue to provide military support to Israel despite declining public approval. The long-term impact of these shifts remains to be seen.
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