Israel elections 2026 live: Netanyahu and far-right coalition face first vote since October 7 and Gaza invasion

The key players in Israel’s first election since October 7Israelis are set to vote on October 27 in the first national elections since the deadly October 7 attacks, and the devastating Gaza war that followed.The Independent looks at the key figures in the looming election:James Reynolds26 October 2026 16:06Good evening and welcome to our coverage of the Israeli electionBenjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government faces an existential election on Tuesday as voters deliver their verdict three years since the country’s greatest security failure in generations.The opposition is clustered around centrist former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot. But he and an array of other parties ranging from the rump of the centre-left to the right, also have no clear path to unseat the survivalist Netanyahu.Follow along for our coverage of the Israeli legislative electionsJames Reynolds26 October 2026 16:05