Nine October 7 Relatives Run for Knesset

At least nine Israelis whose families were directly affected by Hamas’s October 7 attack are running for parliament in the October 27 election, bringing personal loss, hostage advocacy and demands for change into a campaign spanning the political spectrum. Many are aligned with opposition parties and say they want to help the country recover while challenging the government’s handling of the security failure and its resistance to an independent inquiry. Michal Hirsch Negri, whose son Roee was killed fighting attackers at Kibbutz Be’eri, says his example of focusing on what can be done to help others guides her political work. Former general Noam Tibon, who fought his way to rescue his family from Nahal Oz, is also running, while other candidates have been spurred by the death of loved ones or efforts to free hostages. Though united by their experiences and a desire to shape Israel’s future, the candidates differ over who should lead the country and how it should move forward.