Gravitas | Netanyahu's poll numbers rise amid internal turmoil
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Gravitas | Netanyahu's poll numbers rise amid internal turmoil")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wife Sara Netanyahu and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe attend the funeral service for the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) at the Washington National Cathedral on July 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. Photograph: (AFP)
A new poll shows Benjamin Netanyahu tied with Gadi Eisenkot ahead of Israel's October 27 election, as security, the Gaza war and the economy dominate voter concerns.
Israel heads to a national election on October 27, the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that transformed the country's, as well as West Asia's, political and security landscape.
With less than three months to go, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have narrowed the gap with his main challenger in the race for public support.
A new Channel 12 television poll shows Netanyahu and former Israel Defence Forces chief Gadi Eisenkot tied, with 38 per cent of respondents saying they would prefer each of them to lead the country.
The result marks a significant turnaround for Netanyahu. Earlier this month, the same broadcaster found Eisenkot leading with 43 per cent support compared with Netanyahu's 34 per cent.
Israel does not directly elect its prime minister. Voters choose members of the 120-seat Knesset, and the leader most likely to form a governing coalition becomes prime minister.
The poll projects the anti-Netanyahu bloc, excluding Arab parties, at 60 seats, just one short of the 61 needed for a majority.
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Netanyahu's bloc is projected to win 50 seats, while Arab parties are expected to secure the remaining 10.
The survey also projects Eisenkot's Yashar Party as the largest in parliament with 23 seats, followed closely by Netanyahu's Likud with 22.
When asked what would shape their vote, 32 per cent of respondents identified Israel's handling of the multi-front war as their top concern, while 25 per cent pointed to the cost of living and the economy.
Even as Israel prepares for a political future, both Gazans and Israelis continue to reel from the impact of the war.
Gazan health officials say at least three Palestinians were killed and more than 16 others were injured in two Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City and the Khan Younis area.
The Israeli military says it targeted two military operatives.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since the October 2025 ceasefire took effect, while the ministry says the overall death toll in Gaza since October 2023 has crossed 73,000.
Israel is also facing growing concern over the mental health of its armed forces.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that two female active-duty soldiers died by suicide over the past two days, taking the number of active-duty military suicides this year to at least 16.
The report says the annual total rose from seven in the final months of 2023 to 21 in 2024 and 22 in 2025, the highest level in 15 years, with several cases linked to combat service and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with the Gaza war.