October 7 attack shapes Israel’s elections and fuels political blame

The anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack is approaching, marking a turning point in how Israelis view their place in the Middle East. The Hamas-led assault, which killed 1,139 Israelis and took about 250 captive, could influence the upcoming elections in late October. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is criticized for failing to conduct an independent inquiry into his government's failures before the attack, while his rival Gadi Eisenkot makes it a central point of his campaign.