October 7 and Gaza War Frame Israel’s Knesset Election

Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday to elect the 26th Knesset, in the country’s first parliamentary election since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and the war that followed in the Gaza Strip.

The vote places those events at the centre of a new electoral chapter. Unlike the previous parliamentary contest, this election unfolds against the backdrop of the attack and its far-reaching aftermath.

Security and political accountability provide a critical lens through which to view the ballot. The election also raises the broader question of how Israel’s next parliament will approach the consequences of the Gaza war.

Beyond the immediate contest for seats, the vote offers a test of Israel’s political direction since October 7. The composition of the new Knesset will help shape the country’s response to that changed landscape.