Israel Votes After October 7 as Netanyahu Faces Security Reckoning

Israelis vote Tuesday in their first election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a potential reckoning over the worst security failure in the nation's history. The attack killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Netanyahu rejects blame for the breach and resists calls for an independent investigation, arguing his wars against Hamas and Iran will bring peace. Polls predict a sharp drop for his Likud party, but rival parties lack a clear path to power, suggesting possible stalemate. In Be'eri kibbutz, where one-in-ten residents were killed, survivors like Gal Cohen say Netanyahu should have resigned and view the election as critical. Hostage families are leading calls for accountability, with rallies urging voters to remember October 7.