Recent surveys indicate that economic issues are likely to influence young voters more than international events like the Gaza conflict in the upcoming U.S. elections. Despite concerns over President Biden’s policies in Gaza, young voters aged 18 to 29 prioritize topics such as inflation, healthcare, and housing, according to a poll by the Harvard Institute of Politics. This demographic shows a preference for a ceasefire in Gaza yet places greater emphasis on domestic economic conditions when considering their electoral choices.

Simultaneously, university campuses across the U.S., including the University of Texas at Austin and Columbia University, have become sites of intense protests against ongoing events in Gaza. At the University of Texas, six protesters were arrested following a policy from Texas Governor Greg Abbott mandating a zero-tolerance approach towards encampments. This incident involved law enforcement using pepper spray to disperse crowds, notable on social media. This pattern of unrest linked to the Israel-Gaza situation is mirrored at other institutions such as Yale University, evidencing a significant, though separate, concern among some student groups.