Families affected by the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023 gathered in Tel Aviv on Tuesday to honour relatives killed that day, observing a minute’s silence before joining together in song beside a white installation bearing the date “7.10.23”.
Holding photographs of their loved ones, participants included Yona Adam, whose daughter Mapal was killed at the Nova music festival, and Einav Zangauker, mother of former hostage Matan Zangauker.
The commemoration took place as Israelis headed to the polls on Tuesday, 27 October, for their first general election since the attacks, voting to elect the 26th Knesset.
In Kiryat Arba, an Israeli settlement near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, voters queued outside polling stations. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also cast his ballot in the nationalist-right stronghold.
In Umm al-Fahm, an Arab-majority city in northern Israel, election officials prepared ballot papers at al-Aqwas school before voters entered to cast their votes. Similar scenes unfolded at polling stations in Jerusalem.
Exit polls are expected at 21:00 CET on Tuesday, although it could take weeks before a new government is formed.