Mass rally against Netanyahu before Israeli election
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The gist
Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv against PM Benjamin Netanyahu's government three days before the general election.
The protest pressed for an independent inquiry into the October 7, 2023 security failures.
Background
Benjamin Netanyahu is Israel's prime minister, whose government the rally protested against. The October 24 demonstration was organised by the October Council, a group founded by families of victims and hostages taken in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, and marks three years of campaigning by Israeli civil society and opposition parties to establish an independent commission of inquiry into the security failures around those attacks. It came three days before Israel's first general election since the war on Gaza began; polls before a gag period that took effect Friday night showed neither bloc would win a majority of seats in parliament.
How it unfolded
- Oct 23, 2026Israel's Elections Committee denied a Likud request to bar broadcasting of the October 7 probe rally ahead of the election.
- Oct 24, 2026Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu's government, demanding an independent state commission of inquiry into the security failures around the October 7, 2023 attacks.
- Oct 24, 2026Protesters marched from central Rabin Square to Hostages Square, the rally location, according to an AFP reporter; antigovernment demonstrations were also held elsewhere in Israel, Haaretz reported.
- Oct 24, 2026Opposition figures took part, including Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party and Democrats leader Yair Golan.
- Oct 27, 2026Israel's parliamentary election is scheduled.
Who’s saying what
- Party
- The October Council said that three days before the election it would hold the culminating event marking three years of struggle to uncover the truth, demand accountability and establish a state commission of inquiry.
- Public
- Protester Hadas Feuershtein, 68, said whoever has led Israel for the past four years has done a terrible job and that Israel has never been in a situation as it is now.
- Support
- Israeli lawyer Dan Adin described masses flowing in the Democrats' march from Rabin Square to Hostages Square, for change, hope and what he called a revolution.
Still unverified
The October Council said it had alerted law enforcement to possible provocations from pro-government agitators, citing alerts about attempts by entities linked to the coalition to disrupt the rally.