Israel’s Oct. 27 election will shape Gaza policy, but displaced Palestinians in Gaza expect little improvement and fear renewed escalation. An expert says an opposition-led government could respond more to international pressure, but would face far-right pressure.
Israeli affairs expert Ahed Farawaneh said recent polls suggested neither the governing bloc nor the opposition would win the 61 Knesset seats needed to form a government alone. Many Palestinians also doubt opposition frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot would improve their lives; the article says he served in Netanyahu’s government during the war’s first eight months, supports West Bank settlements and opposes a two-state solution. Farawaneh said a Netanyahu-led government would likely continue its current Gaza policy, while an opposition government could make some changes under international pressure but would face pressure from the far right.
A ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10 has not ended the violence, the report says: at least 1,399 Palestinians have been killed and 4,863 injured since then. Almost all Gaza residents have been displaced at some point, often more than once. Osama al-Arbaei, displaced more than a dozen times, said a box of tomatoes could cost 20 or 50 shekels while he had less than two.
