Poll shows falling support for Israeli PM Netanyahu
Only 15 per cent of Israelis want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stay in office after the war with Hamas in Gaza ends, though more support his strategy of crushing the militants, a poll has found.
Benjamin Netanyahu
Netanyahu promised to crush Hamas after its October 7 attack in southern Israel in which 1200 people were killed and 240 abducted.
Israeli forces have laid much of Gaza to waste in a nearly three-month retaliatory offensive.
Netanyahu has said such intense military pressure is also vital to ensure that the remaining 129 hostages still held in Gaza are returned after about 100 were freed in a swap deal also involving hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
In the poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute, 56 per cent of those questioned said continuing the military offensive was the best way to recover the hostages, while 24 per cent thought a swap deal including the release of thousands more Palestinian prisoners would be best.
More than 22,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza health officials, and most of the population displaced.
Israel says it has killed 8000 Palestinian fighters and has vowed to hunt down Hamas leaders.
But only 15 per cent want Netanyahu to be prime minister once the war is over, the poll showed.
His political rival and present war cabinet partner, centrist Benny Gantz, had 23 per cent support as PM while 23 per cent named no preferred leader.
The poll was conducted among 746 respondents between December 25 and 28.
AAP
Bunk on polls.