Two years have passed since the world watched in horror as Hamas launched its devastating attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023—a day that marked the beginning of a relentless and brutal conflict in Gaza. Today, as the second anniversary arrives, the war rages on, but the battlefield has shifted far beyond the physical borders of the region. The most significant front may now be public perception, especially in the United States, where support for Israel has eroded dramatically, reshaping the strategic landscape for both nations.
Immediately following the 2023 attacks, Israel enjoyed a surge of sympathy and support from Americans. According to Gallup, a majority of Americans approved of Israel’s military response in Gaza in the conflict’s early days. But that consensus has crumbled. By September 2025, only 32 percent of Americans approved of Israel’s military actions, while a striking 60 percent expressed disapproval, as reported by Gallup and cited in Politico. It’s not just a matter of shifting poll numbers; it’s a seismic change in public mood that’s reverberating through the halls of power in Washington.
The erosion of support is not confined to one end of the political spectrum. Progressive activists on the left and isolationist voices on the right have both turned up the volume of their criticism. As Politico noted, “With both progressive activists on the left and MAGA isolationists on the right railing about Israel’s bellicosity and culpability, it will be difficult for Israel to cajole Congress into offering further support.” The taboo against criticizing Israel, once fiercely guarded in American politics, has all but evaporated.
Polling from YouGov paints a similar picture: a plurality of Americans now support decreasing military aid to Israel. This mood shift is echoed among younger demographics, including young evangelicals, a group once seen as a bedrock of pro-Israel sentiment. Their support, too, has plummeted, suggesting that the alliance is at risk of fraying not just in the present, but well into the future.
“The U.S.-Israel alliance has come under strain from growing forces on the far left and right who wish to see an end to American military support for Israel,” reported Jewish Insider. But, as Politico points out, “According to public opinion polls, it’s way more than the far left and far right.” The middle ground of American politics is shifting, and Israel’s position is growing more precarious by the month.
This shift isn’t happening in a vacuum. The conduct of the Israeli government in the ongoing war has drawn fierce international condemnation, particularly following recent events such as the government’s handling of the Global Sumud Flotilla. On October 7, 2025, Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla, which was attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. The operation, described as “a lethal blend of folly, evil, and a misunderstanding of reality,” according to critics cited in Haaretz, only intensified Israel’s international isolation. The flotilla incident became a flashpoint, symbolizing what many see as the government’s increasingly hardline and, some argue, misguided approach to the crisis.
The fallout from these events has not been limited to public opinion. It has sparked a reckoning among U.S. political elites. Vice President Kamala Harris, for example, revealed in her campaign memoir that she had significant differences with President Joe Biden over the war in Gaza. Phil Gordon, Harris’ national security advisor, was blunt in his assessment on a recent Foreign Affairs podcast: “It was a policy failure. You can’t conclude anything else.”
Other former Biden administration officials have also gone public with their reflections. In op-eds and podcasts, some have argued, “we did the best we could,” while others have admitted, “we could have done better.” The self-critique is not always direct—“Some officials will blame Biden in private, gently, and if you read between the lines of their public commentary, it’s implied,” Politico observed—but the message is clear: the administration’s handling of Israel and Gaza has left scars and regrets.
Meanwhile, the relationship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former President Donald Trump has taken on new urgency. Axios reported a recent exchange in which Trump pressured Netanyahu to accept peace deal terms and halt air strikes in Gaza. According to a U.S. official with knowledge of the call, “Bibi told Trump this is nothing to celebrate, and that it doesn’t mean anything.” Trump fired back, “I don’t know why you’re always so f***ing negative. This is a win. Take it.” The pressure was effective: three hours after Trump issued a public statement calling for a halt to air strikes, Netanyahu gave the order.
Trump’s growing influence over Netanyahu is a striking development. As international censure mounts and Israel’s isolation deepens, Netanyahu’s ability to resist U.S. pressure has diminished. “Mr. Netanyahu is in no position to defy Mr. Trump while facing international censure over Israel’s conduct in the war and growing international isolation, analysts say, increasing its reliance on the United States,” wrote Isabel Kershner in The New York Times. Trump himself was blunt about the dynamic, telling Axios, “[Netanyahu’s] got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you got to be fine.”
All of these developments point to a stark reality: Israel may be winning battles on the ground, but it is losing the war of public opinion, particularly among its most important ally. The strategic cost is not just abstract; it’s already manifesting in tangible ways. Congressional support for military aid is waning, and bipartisan criticism is now routine. As Politico put it, “Once criticism of a country becomes bipartisan, the taboo against further criticism crumbles.”
Against this backdrop, the flotilla incident stands as a symbol of the broader crisis. The Israeli government’s decision to intercept humanitarian aid headed for Gaza, in the midst of a two-year conflict marked by suffering and destruction, has only deepened its international isolation. Critics argue that such actions reveal a “misunderstanding of reality” and risk cementing Israel’s pariah status if the current trajectory continues.
As the war enters its third year, the path forward looks increasingly fraught. The U.S.-Israel alliance, once seen as unshakeable, now faces unprecedented tests. With public opinion and elite consensus both turning, the future of American support for Israel hangs in the balance. The strategic costs of the Gaza war, it seems, are only beginning to be understood—by leaders in both Jerusalem and Washington.
In a world where perception often shapes policy as much as reality, Israel’s most formidable challenge may no longer be found on the battlefield, but in the hearts and minds of those once counted as its staunchest allies.