Israelis are voting in a closely watched election that could shape the country’s future after the October 7 Hamas attack and the war in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, is running neck and neck with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.

With around 7 million people eligible to vote, the election has become a referendum on leadership, security and accountability, as well as on whether Israel continues its current rightward course or moves toward a more liberal and secular direction.