Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu ahead of tight Israeli elections

Thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, three days before tightly contested legislative elections. The protest was organized by the October Council, a group founded by families of victims and hostages from the October 7 attack. The group demands a state commission of inquiry into the security failures that enabled the Hamas attack, which Netanyahu's government has refused to establish. Opposition leaders running in Tuesday's elections, including centrist Gadi Eisenkot, have all promised to create such a commission if they win, with polls showing his bloc and Netanyahu's nearly tied. The demonstration took place at Hostages Square, a site used for weekly protests during the Gaza war. Organizers warned of possible provocations from pro-government activists, while Netanyahu suggested Israel might need to develop an alternative economy using blockchain to bypass international sanctions, drawing mockery from opponents.