GAZA CITY — As Israelis prepare to vote on October 27 to determine their next government, residents of the Gaza Strip are watching the campaign with deep trepidation. For three years, Palestinians in the enclave have endured widespread destruction, displacement, and a conflict that has claimed over 70,000 lives since its onset in October 2023.
Although Gazans have no direct voice in the election, the outcome is expected to significantly influence policies affecting their survival. Maryam al-Dabala, a 30-year-old mother who has been forced to relocate approximately 14 times during the war, expressed primary concern that a new administration would persist with the forced displacement policies of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“If Netanyahu’s far-right government succeeds, it will continue the policy of forced displacement of the people of Gaza,” al-Dabala said. “The biggest fear is that the Netanyahu government will carry out a policy of forcibly displacing Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip.”
Al-Dabala also dismissed hopes that a victory for Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party and a frontrunner in the polls, would benefit Palestinians. Eisenkot served in Netanyahu’s cabinet during the initial phase of the war and supports West Bank settlements, which are considered illegal under international law, while opposing a two-state solution. Al-Dabala described a far-right government, potentially including ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir, as the worst-case scenario due to ongoing shortages of medicine, food, and basic necessities.
Osama al-Arbaei, a 65-year-old man who has been displaced more than a dozen times after his home was bombed, killing nine relatives, shared a similar sense of resignation. Currently residing in a temporary shelter at a school, he stated that the core agenda toward Gaza remains unchanged regardless of electoral results.
“There is an agenda, there are red lines and there are margins. There may be a small change in the margins, but the principle does not change,” al-Arbaei said. He noted that economic hardship persists, with food prices remaining prohibitive for those without income. Despite these challenges, he vowed to remain in Gaza. “I have never left Gaza, and I will not leave, no matter what happens. I will die here, God willing.”
The fragile ceasefire that began on October 10 has not halted violence; at least 1,399 Palestinians have been killed and 4,863 injured since its implementation. Most of Gaza’s population has been displaced multiple times, with many living in inadequate tents that offer little protection from the elements or aerial bombardment.
Umm Mohammed Khalil, a 59-year-old widow displaced from northern Gaza to Gaza City, expressed frustration rather than hope. Supporting 19 family members while her son and son-in-law remain missing, she fears further escalation. She directed a plea to the Israeli electorate: “Feel for us. We Palestinians are also souls. We are also human beings, people just like you. Have mercy on us. No more wars, no more of what is happening in Gaza.”
Israeli affairs expert Ahed Farawaneh indicated that the election remains highly competitive, with polls suggesting neither the governing bloc nor the opposition can secure the 61 Knesset seats required to govern alone. Farawaneh noted that the war, displacement issues, violence in the West Bank, relations with the United States, and debates over ultra-Orthodox military service are dominating the campaigns.
However, he cautioned that a Netanyahu-led government would likely maintain current military strategies, with far-right figures openly discussing the expulsion of Gaza’s population. Conversely, an opposition-led government might respond to international pressure but would still face significant influence from the Israeli right wing.
“If Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power, this means the continuation of the escalation in the Gaza Strip,” Farawaneh said. For Gazans, the central question is not merely who will win, but whether any government will alter a trajectory of war that continues to define every aspect of their lives.
Displaced fourteen times and still refusing to leave? That kind of resilience is absolutely humbling and heartbreaking to witness.
It is tragic that Gazans fear both sides equally. That level of hopelessness speaks volumes about the depth of their crisis.