Should the US Accept Gaza Refugees?

As Israel looks poised to launch a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, should the U.S. help resettle displaced Palestinians?

The Details:  Over 1 million people in the Gaza Strip have been displaced as Israel retaliates for the deadly Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, and Gaza's border remains closed to evacuees. Over the weekend, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and several other Republicans said they wouldn't accept refugees from Gaza.

Key Quotes: "Not all of them are Hamas, but they are all anti-Semitic. None of them believe in Israel’s right to exist," DeSantis said. "The textbooks do not have Israel even on the map. They prepare very young kids to commit terrorist attacks. So I think it’s a toxic culture." Nikki Haley (R) struck a different tone, saying the U.S. "has always been sympathetic to the fact that you can separate civilians from terrorists." Other Republican candidates didn't oppose the refugees but called on neighboring countries like Egypt to help. 

How the Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum focused on DeSantis's comments. The New York Times (Lean Left bias) highlighted how "nearly one million people are grappling with shortages of food, clean water and shelter in Gaza," and CNN (Lean Left bias) noted poll data suggesting that half of Gazans say "Hamas should stop calling for Israel’s destruction and instead accept a permanent two-state solution." Right-rated sources focused more on Republicans' reasons for opposing the refugees. 

Why the Difference? Read more about ideological divisions over Israel and Palestine.