Gaza Election Watch: Residents Track Israeli Polls

Gaza residents are closely following the Israeli election scheduled for Tuesday.

The conflict has dominated the political debate in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing scrutiny over security failures prior to the October 2023 attacks. His far-right coalition partners have advocated for stricter measures, including the expulsion of Gazans. The main challenger is Gadi Eisenkot, a former military commander who leads the opposition.

Mohammed Eliyan, 36, lives in Deir el-Balah with his five children after being displaced from Jabalia. He supports Eisenkot but expects little dramatic change regardless of the outcome. "They are still our enemy, and I don't expect things to improve dramatically," Eliyan said. He hopes the next leader will be "less harsh" on the population.

Islam Salem, 41, believes the election will negatively impact his three daughters. He notes that Israel currently controls roughly 65 percent of Gaza inside the Yellow Line. Reconstruction remains stalled while more than 80 percent of buildings are damaged and two-thirds are completely destroyed. "We live day by day," Salem said. "Everything we feared has already happened."

Hanan Abu al-Maaza, 57, has been displaced more than 12 times. She fears the current government will worsen conditions, whereas a loss for Netanyahu might allow her to return to Beit Lahiya. "We have had enough of war and destruction," she said. "There is nothing left to destroy, yet the suffering continues."

Manar Owaida, 23, resides in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City. She views Netanyahu as more extreme than Eisenkot and fears he may launch a wider regional war to distract from domestic pressures. Owaida believes a new government might ease the blockade and withdraw from areas beyond the Yellow Line.

Mousa Ali, 33, sees the election as a deciding factor for whether displaced people can return to their homes. He hopes Arab parties will gain enough seats to influence the next government. "We hope this policy will end and that a new prime minister will stop this ongoing bloodshed," Ali said.