Beyond October 7: Israel Votes in First Knesset Election Since Gaza War

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 Gaza.

The vote places the aftermath of the attack and the conflict at the heart of the election’s context. It is the first opportunity since those events for voters to determine the makeup of Israel’s parliament.

The election also raises broader questions about Israel’s political direction: how the next parliament will approach security, the consequences of the war and the country’s future beyond the conflict.

With voting taking place against that backdrop, the significance of the contest extends beyond the allocation of parliamentary seats. The outcome will help shape the political response to a period defined by the October 7 attack and the ensuing war.