Israel’s election: Five key things to know

Israelis head to the polls on Tuesday for legislative elections, the first since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war in Gaza. The vote comes as Israel remains involved in several prolonged conflicts, faces growing international criticism and experiences deepening domestic polarisation. Two blocs are competing: the pro-Netanyahu coalition, led by Likud and including far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties, and an opposition coalition of four movements associated with Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett. The latest polls published before a ban on new surveys took effect indicated that neither bloc was expected to win the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.