Gaza Residents Want Netanyahu Ousted, But See No Hope of a ‘New Beginning’ from Israeli Elections

Palestinians in Gaza want Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lose the ongoing elections, but few believe his successor would bring any meaningful change for the territory.
After years of bombing and destruction, Netanyahu’s defeat may provide some emotional relief, but few expect a new government to change Gaza’s fate. Palestinians’ immediate concerns include permanent shelter, food and water, the restoration of schools and hospitals, and rebuilding an economy whose destruction has left ordinary citizens dependent on aid.
Munir Aslim, a 35-year-old resident of Shujaiya who lost his home in Israeli bombing, said: “In Gaza, it makes no difference to us who wins or loses the Israeli elections.” He said what matters is escaping life in tents and humiliation, and ending the hunger and poverty imposed by the war.
Analyst Mustafa Ibrahim said the Israeli vote should not be seen as a referendum on Palestinian rights. According to him, Netanyahu and his main challenger, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, represent different ways of achieving Israeli security objectives rather than a fundamental policy shift.
Ahmad Samour, a 61-year-old former teacher, said Netanyahu’s defeat would not represent a new beginning, but at least Palestinians would be rid of a leader they hold responsible for the killing of children and innocent civilians.
Amal al-Hanawi, a teacher at a tent school in northern Gaza, said reconstruction mattered more, adding that even if a leader with better policies won and began rebuilding Gaza, it would still take years because the scale of destruction was beyond description.