A new poll has found that almost a third of British Muslims have a positive view of Hamas.

The survey, carried out by polling firm JL Partners, found that 15 per cent of 1,000 British Muslims have a "very positive" view of Hamas, with 14 per cent saying they had a "quite positive" view of Hamas.

The findings from the Henry Jackson Society, a national security think tank, also found that 40 per cent of university-educated Muslims between the ages 18-24 believed Hamas had not committed atrocities on October 7.

It was also found in that the poll that 13 per cent of Muslims asked had a "very negative" view of Hamas, with 11 per cent having a "quite negative" view of the group.

Protests have been held in London

Some 32 per cent or almost a third of British Muslims questioned said they backed Shariah law in the UK in comparison to nine per cent of the general public.

Meanwhile, around 41 per cent of British Muslims said Jews have too much power in the media and 39 per cent when it came to Britain's financial system.

Founder of interfaith groups Tell Mama, Faith Matters and Muslims Against Anti-Semitism told MailOnline: "Hamas is an Islamist extremist and terrorist group and has been terrorising Gazans, Israelis and liberals within society for decades. The sense that Hamas did not conduct massacres and rapes in Israel is atrocious because it shows a closed-off mentality to anything emanating from Israel.'

"The findings confirm that a lot of work needs to be done to inform, challenge, and address old anti-Semitic tropes that are still circulating among some of my co-religionists."

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike, after the Israeli military withdrew most of its ground troops from the southern Gaza Strip

When asked about how desirable it was for homosexuality to be outlawed, 17 per cent said it was "very desirable" and 10 per cent said it was "somewhat desirable". Meanwhile, 18 per cent said it was "very undesirable" and 10 per cent said it was "somewhat undesirable."

A Government spokesperson said: "We have recently set out a series of measures which will promote social cohesion and counter religious hatred.

"Our plan will tackle division in our communities and ensure that we are protecting our democratic freedoms across the country."