At least nine Israelis who lost loved ones or survived the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack are running for parliament in Tuesday's election, drawn into politics by the deadliest day in the nation's history. Candidates range from retired army Major General Noam Tibon, who rescued his son from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, to hostage family members and bereaved parents, representing parties from the centrist opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud and far-right factions.
The October 7 attack that killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage has reshaped Israel's political landscape, pulling ordinary citizens into electoral contests they never planned to enter.
Among the most prominent candidates is Noam Tibon, a retired army major general who raced from Tel Aviv to Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7 armed only with a pistol to save his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. He joined an elite commando unit and took control of the kibbutz after close-quarters combat. Now running for the centrist Together party led by former prime ministers Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, Tibon said: "October 7 changed Israel forever; it will not be the same country. The country is controlled by Netanyahu, who is taking us to hell, and we need to get Israel on track again. I realised I can't sit on the fence any more; I have to jump into the mud."
Shira Shapira, whose son Aner died after catching grenades thrown into a shelter at the Nova music festival, is running for former military chief Gadi Eisenkot's centrist Yashar party. "On October 7, our whole world collapsed and we had to build it again," she said.
Sharon Sharabi, whose brother Eli was held hostage for 491 days and whose other brother Yossi died in captivity, is running for Yisrael Beytenu, a hawkish secular right-wing party led by Netanyahu critic Avigdor Lieberman. "We are trying to save our country. I expected that Netanyahu would take responsibility for the massacre and retire, but it didn't happen," Sharabi said.
Not all October 7 candidates oppose Netanyahu. Talik Gvili, whose son Ran's remains were the last returned from Gaza, is running for Netanyahu's Likud party as a top candidate. Tzvika Mor, who founded a breakaway movement of hostage families opposed to ending the war, is running for Bezalel Smotrich's far-right Religious Zionism party. Sigal Kraunik-Atiya, whose husband Arik was killed defending Kibbutz Be'eri, is running for the new far-right Amcha Israel party and this week joined a blockade of humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
Danny Rahamim, the community leader of Kibbutz Nahal Oz who survived the attack with his wife, remains a committed peace activist but said the community has been forever changed. Fifteen members of the kibbutz were killed and eight taken hostage.
The opposition parties have vowed to establish a far-reaching commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks if they unseat Netanyahu, similar to an Australian royal commission.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The election will determine whether Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power after the most consequential security failure in Israel's history.
- The candidacies of October 7 survivors and bereaved families inject personal trauma directly into political decision-making on the war, hostages and future peace prospects.
- The wide political spectrum of the October 7 candidates, from centrists demanding accountability to far-right advocates opposing aid, reflects a deeply fractured Israeli society.
Background
Israel is holding what many analysts have called its most important election in years, three years after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. The attack killed some 1,200 people and sparked a war in Gaza that has reshaped the region. Netanyahu's government has faced sustained criticism over its failure to anticipate or prevent the assault, as well as its handling of hostage negotiations and military strategy. This election marks the first time that a significant number of candidates directly affected by the attack are running for parliament, bringing personal stories of loss and survival to the campaign trail.
Key Perspectives
Noam Tibon (Together party, centrist): Says Netanyahu is "taking us to hell" and that he felt compelled to "jump into the mud" to get Israel back on track.
Shira Shapira (Yashar party, centrist): A trained architect who had no political ambitions before her son's death, she felt a connection with Eisenkot given his own son died in Gaza. "It's like a family of loss," she said.
Sharon Sharabi (Yisrael Beytenu, secular right-wing): Lobbied world leaders including Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron for his brother's release. He expected Netanyahu to "take responsibility for the massacre and retire."
Talik Gvili (Likud, right-wing): Running for Netanyahu's party, praised him for securing the return of hostages including her son's remains, and said she wanted a leader she could trust.
Tzvika Mor (Religious Zionism, far-right): Opposed ending the war or releasing Palestinian prisoners even to secure his loved ones' release, and founded a breakaway movement of hostage families.
Sigal Kraunik-Atiya (Amcha Israel, far-right): Engaged in a blockade of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, calling continued delivery a "national disgrace."
Danny Rahamim (community leader, peace activist): Survived the attack on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, where 15 were killed and eight taken hostage. Still believes in peace but said the community has been irrevocably changed.
What to Watch
- The election results on Tuesday and whether the anti-Netanyahu change bloc can form a coalition.
- Whether the October 7 candidates win seats and how they influence parliamentary debates on a commission of inquiry and hostage policy.
- The response from hostage family members and survivors if Netanyahu retains power or if the opposition forms government.
