As campaigning intensifies ahead of the election, religious leaders, bereaved families and political figures are all seeking to shape the national conversation. Meanwhile, security developments in Gaza and Syria underline the fragility of the post-war calm, and Israel's reconstruction plans for Gaza were presented to American officials in Cairo.

Security

The IDF and Shin Bet announced they had killed Ramadan Mohammed Ashhada Diab, head of the Popular Resistance Committees in Khan Yunis, in an airstrike in Gaza. The military said Diab had been promoting attacks against Israeli forces and civilians and working to rebuild Hamas capabilities in violation of the ceasefire, and that members of his organisation took part in the 7 October attacks. Separately, an incident in Syria has stirred controversy after the IDF confirmed it shot and killed Maaz Salama al-Bair, a man with Down syndrome, after he approached troops following an arrest procedure and was shot to 'remove the threat'. Footage from his funeral, where mourners chanted against Israel and Netanyahu, has circulated widely, and Syria's Foreign Ministry has called on Israel to respect international law. In the West Bank, 11 foreign activists and a Palestinian were detained near Hebron on suspicion of breaching a closed military zone order and obstructing soldiers during olive harvest season; two of the detained foreign activists were found with material glorifying terrorists, police said. A new survey has also found that after three years of war, 70% of reservists have delayed or abandoned career plans due to prolonged service, with only around a quarter saying state assistance met their needs.

Politics

With the election campaign in full swing, 114 rabbis signed a letter urging the public to vote 'only for parties that will unquestionably pass the electoral threshold', prompting criticism from Amach Israel's chairman, who met three of the signatories in an unsuccessful bid to halt its publication, insisting 'only the people decide their future'. Families of those killed, abducted or affected by the 7 October attacks, including Yocheved Lifshitz and Gil Dickmann, plan to stand outside polling stations on election day urging voters to keep victims in mind. Tensions flared at Tel Aviv's Hatikva Market, where bereaved father Michel Iloz, Gil Dickmann and Einav Zangauker confronted Prime Minister Netanyahu during a campaign visit; footage showed a citizen physically clashing with Iloz, and the three say they were removed from the market, though Netanyahu was reportedly not in the vicinity during the altercation. He also faced jeers from the crowd. In a wide-ranging interview, Netanyahu told the Jerusalem Post he wants 'five more terms', would form a government with his current coalition partners, and said Trump's support had 'surprised' him, urging Israel to capitalise on it before political winds shift in Washington. Meanwhile, Yisrael Eichler-aligned Reservists Party leader Yuli Edelstein's colleague Hendel told the Post his party could prove decisive in forming the next government, saying it would only join a coalition of Zionist parties regardless of who leads it. Dozens of mayors from the northern and southern periphery demanded that seven major parties commit to budgeted development plans for their regions in the next coalition agreements; most responded with sympathetic but non-binding pledges, prompting criticism from the Or movement, which said: 'We know how to invest billions in war – it's time to direct budget to civilian life.'

International

The International Criminal Court has been awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov human rights prize, even as it faces sweeping US sanctions after President Trump vowed to dismantle the tribunal 'brick by brick'; European officials pledged continued support for the court's independence. The US Secretary of State spoke with Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, reaffirming American commitment to Qatar's security and to maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, while praising Doha's mediation efforts and security cooperation. In London, a regeneration manager working for Mayor Sadiq Khan's housing programme was suspended after Jewish campaigners alleged he had posted comments appearing to celebrate the 7 October Hamas massacre, prompting demands for further action.

Other Developments

Israel's National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, headed by Dr Ali Shaath, met US embassy official Robert Silberman in Cairo to present a plan for the Strip's reconstruction and the committee's first six months of operations, covering critical infrastructure repair, restoration of basic services and economic recovery. Separately, the Jerusalem Post reported it had seen a letter requesting coordination for a West Bank trip, despite the IDF and Foreign Ministry initially saying the group had failed to coordinate the visit and that the area was off-limits.

Sources: Ynet, Walla, www.israelhayom.co.il, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post