# Israel will hold its first election today since the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 , that plunged the Middle East into turmoil. The election could end prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long grip on power. Israelis vote for parties rather than directly electing a prime minister, with the 120 seats in the Knesset, which is the country’s Parliament, allocated through proportional representation. Recent polls show neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the main opposition bloc led by centrist former military chief Gadi Eisenkot will reach the 61 seats needed for a majority.
Israeli voters head to the polls today in a high-stakes election