Source: BBC

The 2024 presidential election promises to be one of the most polarising political contests in living memory. But as the war in Gaza rages, President Joe Biden’s strong support of Israel is putting him at odds with some of his key supporters – younger voters.

Abdul Osmanu, 22, is not sure he can cast a ballot for President Joe Biden again. Much of that hesitation, he said, involves the Biden administration’s support of Israel as it continues to bombard Gaza.

“As a lover of peace, a Muslim, and a black man, it’s terrible to see the repression of the Palestinians,” said Mr Osmanu, who was elected to his local town council in 2021. “It’d be tough for me, in my conscience, to vote for a president aiding and abetting that in many ways.”

The young Connecticut voter told the BBC that he was weighing whether to vote for a third-party candidate or leave his presidential ballot blank in 2024. The decision is difficult, however, as he – and many other young voters – do not want to see Donald Trump elected again.

An increasing number of young Democratic voters, like Mr Osmanu, appear to be breaking with President Biden over the issue of Israel and the conflict in Gaza. It is a cause for concern for Democrats, as their opposition to Mr Biden’s policies could threaten a key pillar of support that the elder statesman leaned on during the 2020 election.

For the past two months, young voters have seen in the news and on social media images of war and destruction from within Gaza. They have followed the death toll as it climbed to over 20,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

At the same time, they have watched as Mr Biden publicly backed Israel’s stated effort to eradicate Hamas after they and allied groups killed 1,200 people in Israel on 7 October. It continues to hold an estimated 100 hostages in Gaza.

The BBC reviewed polling research and spoke to six young Democratic voters and organisers from across the US. Data and interviews appear to show a growing sense of political discord among young voters ahead of the 2024 election.

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