Poll: Nearly half of Gazans may be willing to ask Israel to help them leave for other countries, according to a survey that also shows significant support for the anti-Hamas protests.

The study, conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Social Research, was based on a survey of people in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria between May 1 and May 4, about six weeks after Israeli forces resumed operations in Gaza following the collapse of a brief ceasefire.

The Ramallah-based think tank, which Western donors fund, said in a report that 49% of those surveyed said they were willing to ask Israel for help in emigrating through Israeli ports and airports, compared with 50% who said they were not willing to do so. Israeli officials have said Israel will help Gazans who want to leave the enclave, but it has failed to persuade other countries to accept them.

The poll also found that 48% of Palestinians in Gaza supported the series of anti-Hamas demonstrations that have taken place in various locations in the enclave, a much higher percentage than among Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, where only 14% supported the protests, a rare public display of opposition to the terrorist group.

At the same time, 54% of Gazans also believe that the protests, which Hamas says were organized by Israeli intelligence, are being directed from outside, with only 20% saying they represent the true opinion of the population. The center said the poll sample was 1,270 people, with a margin of error of +/- 3.5%.