Israel Votes After October 7 Trauma: 1,200 Dead, 74,000 Palestinians Killed, and Netanyahu Still Won't Answer Why
Three years after the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and sparked a war that has devastated Gaza, Israel is holding its first election since the disaster — with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's failure to prevent the attack dominating the campaign.
Israel is marking three years since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, holding memorial ceremonies for the approximately 1,200 people killed and the 251 taken hostage [256709][256358]. The commemorations come as the country prepares for its first general election since the attack, with the war in Gaza still ongoing [257066][257065].
The attack sparked a devastating Israeli offensive that has left much of Gaza in ruins and its two million people living in dire conditions. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict [256358].
Three years later, Israelis are still demanding answers about how the worst security failure in the country's history was allowed to happen. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of ignoring repeated warnings ahead of the attack, allegations he denies [256256]. He has refused to take personal responsibility or order a state inquiry [256710].
The question of what Netanyahu knew before that day has returned as a central issue in the election campaign, with opponents making the attack a key focus of their platforms [256241][256525]. Three years on, the unresolved trauma remains deeply rooted in Israeli society, making it difficult for many to critically assess the government's response [255525].
In Gaza, Palestinians describe lives changed beyond recognition. Ahmed Ishtaiwi, a 43-year-old driver and mechanic, holds onto six cheap plastic chairs as among his few remaining possessions. Many in the territory describe an existence that is neither war nor peace — amid disease, despair and ruins [257146].
Gazans want political change after two decades without elections, but deeply distrust Hamas, which they blame for the October 7 attacks that triggered the devastating war. With the territory in ruins and insecurity severe, many struggle to imagine how an election could ever take place [257056].
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France "rejects antisemitism" while speaking in Israel at a ceremony marking three years since the attack, adding that France continues to seek "peace between Israelis and Palestinians" [257062].