Israelis vote in first parliamentary election since October 7 attacks

Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday to elect the 26th Knesset in the nation's first parliamentary election since the October 7, 2023 attacks. Over seven million citizens were eligible to vote following years of multi-front regional conflict.

The vote is widely viewed as a decisive test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-standing leadership and security record. Polls showed a tight contest between Netanyahu’s coalition bloc and an opposition alignment led by former chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot. Election officials reported high voter turnout, reaching 66.7 percent by late afternoon. Under Israel's fundamental laws, the president will assign a mandate to form a governing coalition in the 120-seat parliament within seven days of the official results certification.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica.