Many Israelis are increasingly eager to see war in Gaza end

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returns home today after a meeting with President Trump and without a breakthrough on a Gaza ceasefire. Many Israelis are increasingly eager to see the 21-month-long war come to an end. NPR's Itay Stern reports from Tel Aviv on a shifting public sentiment.

Many Israelis are exhausted from the war. A survey last week found 80% of Israelis believe the most urgent task facing their country is to end the fighting in Gaza. Nearly 1 in 7 people say their views on the war have changed. They once supported the offensive against Hamas in Gaza, but now they oppose it. That shift has a lot to do with Israeli hostages still held in Gaza and soldiers dying on the battlefield.

Though the Israeli government is involved in negotiations toward a ceasefire, the far right in the government wants the war to continue until Hamas is totally defeated. But increasingly, many Israelis are afraid of a war of attrition that drags on and on.

https://www.npr.org/2025/07/11/nx-s1-5462748/many-israelis-are-increasingly-eager-to-see-war-in-gaza-end