Social media drive shift in US views on Israeli genocide in Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The New York Times
Today 13:55

A New York Times–Siena poll shows shifting US sentiment as social media exposes Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, with younger voters leading opposition to aid for "Israel".

Listen

A morgue worker prepares the body of 5-month-old baby, Zainab Abu Halib, who died from malnutrition-related causes, according to Dr. Ahmed al-Farah, head of the pediatric department at Nasser Hospital, before her funeral in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, July 26, 2025 (AP)

Images of Palestinians surviving Israeli airstrikes, digging through the rubble of destroyed buildings, and searching the ruins of their neighborhoods for loved ones have overflowed US social media feeds for nearly two years. More recently, however, a new wave of content has emerged.

As The New York Times noted, videos on TikTok, Instagram, and X increasingly show emaciated children searching for food and clean water, offering Americans an unfiltered view of Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis amid the ongoing Israeli genocide.

This shift in online narratives has coincided with changing American public sentiment. A recent poll by The New York Times and Siena University shows that, for the first time since 1998, more Americans side with Palestinians than with "Israel".

The decline in support for "Israel" is primarily among Democrats, although the survey also noted a slight decrease among Republicans. Experts say social media has amplified these changes, as per the report.

“Israel’s public position, a nation forced into a defensive war and making every effort to minimize civilian casualties, is eroded by more documentary evidence each day,” said Emerson Brooking, director of strategy at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council, which studies online communities.

Across wars from Ukraine to Myanmar, modern wars increasingly unfold online. In Gaza, prolonged periods of genocide have allowed social media to serve as a battleground for public opinion, with both Israelis and Palestinians using it to influence perception, the report added.

Online information battles

The intensity escalated after the beginning of the genocide. "Israel" launched online campaigns aimed at swaying Black and Democratic lawmakers, sometimes using fake accounts to promote pro-Israeli positions.

Initially, US polls showed broad support for "Israel", with 47 percent siding with Israeli settlers and 20 percent with Palestinians. Over time, Palestinian social media accounts began sharing firsthand stories of the war, including photos and videos from Gaza-based photojournalists.

Documenting events in Gaza has become increasingly difficult. Dozens of journalists have been killed, and many Palestinians have been forcibly displaced. Yet networks of photographers continue to post content daily.

Social media, youth perspectives

Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are particularly influential among young Americans, who are now the most likely group to oppose additional economic or military aid to "Israel", according to the poll. Some Israeli and US officials have accused TikTok of promoting pro-Palestine content, allegations the company denies, stating that it maintains neutrality and enforces policies against "antisemitic" content.

"Israel’s" attempts to influence social media have faltered, Brooking noted, with the government emphasizing disruption of Palestinian communications, including targeting cell towers in Gaza, rather than persuasion.

The war’s online discourse is further complicated by influence campaigns, artificial intelligence-generated imagery, and bot activity, all of which pushed the Israeli content.

Netanyahu on social media as a weapon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted the significance of social media in a meeting with American influencers at the Israeli Consulate General in New York.

He called platforms “the most important weapon” to secure support in the US and accused NGOs and other groups of spreading what he described as anti-Israeli and antisemitic messages. “TikTok was the most important platform for swaying people’s opinions, with X a close second,” he said.

According to the Times-Siena poll, 34 percent of Americans now express sympathy for Israelis, while 35 percent side with Palestinians. Thirty-one percent said they were unsure or sympathized with both.

A majority of American voters now oppose sending additional economic and military aid to "Israel", marking a significant reversal since October 7. Among voters under 30, nearly seven in 10 oppose such aid, regardless of political affiliation.