Gaza Residents Track Israeli Vote With Little Hope of Policy Shift
Displaced Palestinians say Tuesday's ballot will not change their daily conditions, which include airstrikes, shortages, and Israeli control of much of the territory.
By Andrew Bennett ·
Palestinians in Gaza are watching Israel's Tuesday election closely, though most say they expect no change in their daily conditions.
The territory has been under a ceasefire since October 2025, but residents report near-daily Israeli air strikes, shortages of basic goods, and a continuing siege. Israel currently controls about 65 percent of Gaza inside the so-called Yellow Line. More than 80 percent of buildings in Gaza have been damaged, and about two-thirds of those are completely destroyed.
The campaign has turned heavily on the war in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced criticism over security policy before the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. Members of his far-right coalition have called for tougher measures in Gaza, including the expulsion of its population.
Mohammed Eliyan, 36, left the Jabalia refugee camp and now lives in Deir el-Balah with five children. He wants Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli military commander running against Netanyahu, to win. He fears a second Netanyahu term with far-right allies would bring more air strikes and displacement, but he does not expect a major shift. "They are still our enemy, and I don't expect things to improve dramatically," Eliyan said.
Islam Salem, 41, has three daughters and was displaced from Beit Lahiya. He said elections serve Israeli interests and that Gaza policy will not change under any government. He pointed to the 65 percent control figure and said reconstruction cannot start soon. "We live day by day," Salem said. "Everything we feared has already happened."
Hanan Abu al-Maaza, 57, has moved more than 12 times during the war. She said she watches the vote out of fear and wants to return to Beit Lahiya if Netanyahu loses. "We have had enough of war and destruction," Abu al-Maaza said. "There is nothing left to destroy, yet the suffering continues."
Manar Owaida, 23, was displaced from northern Gaza to Tal al-Hawa in Gaza City. She also prefers Eisenkot to Netanyahu but said Israeli policy has not changed in decades. Mousa Ali, 33, from Beit Lahiya, said the vote matters for the Yellow Line and whether displaced people can return beyond it. He wants Arab parties to win enough seats to join the next government. Ali said he does not expect major change and that a Netanyahu win would extend displacement and Israeli control.
Residents across these accounts asked the same thing of Israel's next leader: end the war and allow people to live in safety. "We hope this policy will end and that a new prime minister will stop this ongoing bloodshed," Ali said.
Israelis vote on Tuesday, October 27.
