A new survey presented by Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) to senior Israeli officials found that close to 80% of Gaza residents are interested in emigrating from the Gaza Strip.

The poll highlighted what Israeli officials described as mounting despair among Gaza civilians as Hamas continues refusing to disarm, despite ongoing international efforts to shape a postwar framework for the territory. Disarmament has been viewed as a major requirement in the reconstruction proposal advanced by President Donald Trump and in broader discussions about Gaza’s future after the war.

As part of the COGAT survey, participants were asked which subjects they would like “additional information about for the Palestinian public.”

According to the findings, nearly four out of five respondents said they wanted more details regarding options for relocation to another country through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border crossings. Another 17.5% said they were primarily interested in information connected to humanitarian aid and food distribution, while roughly 2.5% sought additional details concerning medical humanitarian assistance.

Israeli officials interpreted the results as an indication that many Gaza residents see emigration as their main hope amid the destruction caused by the war and the uncertainty surrounding any future rebuilding efforts.

Since the outbreak of the war following the October 7 massacre, more than 44,000 Gazans have left the territory through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings. Those departures included medical patients as well as people holding visas to foreign countries. Israeli officials said about 2,500 individuals exited through Rafah after the crossing resumed operations in February as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Some Israeli officials argued that the actual level of interest in leaving Gaza could be even greater than what the survey showed.

“It is possible that some respondents did not fully understand the question or may have been reluctant to express their views openly,” an Israeli security official said during the discussion.