Israelis vote in first election since October 7 attack, seen as referendum on Netanyahu

Summary

Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday, October 27, in the first national election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, a vote widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's almost two decades in power. France 24 reported that supporters gathered outside a polling station where Netanyahu was voting, and that turnout was unseen in decades as a deeply divided electorate delivered its verdict on him. Sydney Morning Herald live coverage described a head-to-head contest between Netanyahu and Eisenkot, and one of its headlines said exit polls predict no clear winner. Semafor reported on October 28 that Netanyahu's coalition had drawn ahead in a race that remains tight.

Timeline

1. France 24

   27 Oct 2026, 14:37 UTCSource ↗

   France 24 reports that supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gathered outside a polling station where he was voting on Tuesday, in what it describes as Israel's first election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and a referendum on Netanyahu.

2. France 24

   27 Oct 2026, 14:45 UTCSource ↗

   France 24 reports that Israelis flocked to the polls on Tuesday, October 27, in turnout unseen in decades, with a deeply divided electorate delivering a verdict on Netanyahu.

3. Sydney Morning Herald

   28 Oct 2026, 00:47 UTCSource ↗

   The Sydney Morning Herald's live updates describe the election as widely seen as a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu's almost two decades in power, with Netanyahu and Eisenkot going head-to-head, and one of its headlines says exit polls predict no clear winner.

4. Semafor

   28 Oct 2026, 10:49 UTCSource ↗

   Semafor reports that Netanyahu's coalition has drawn ahead in Israel's tight election race, the first general election since the October 7, 2023 attacks, which it says has largely been seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership.