Israel votes in record-turnout election shaped by 7 October

Israelis voted in record numbers on 27 October in an election dominated by the legacy of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack, with bereaved families demanding a state inquiry and tens of thousands of expatriates flying home to vote. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot is challenging Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Palestinian-Israeli parties, about a fifth of eligible voters, may hold the balance of power. The result will shape Israel's war policy, settlement expansion and the prospect of a Palestinian state, which are central questions for the future of the land and Jerusalem.