Israeli candidate for Prime Minister, former general Gadi Eisenkot at the start of the country's election day on Tuesday (October 27), visited a Gaza border Kibbutz that was gravely hit during a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023,

Before leaving the Kibbutz, where he met captivity survivor Gadi Moses, Eisenkot told reporters that he will stand by his commitment to eliminate Hamas military control of the Gaza Strip within 18 months of forming a government.

65 of the Kibbutz residents were killed and 70 others were taken hostage into the Gaza Strip in Hamas' attack. Before casting his vote, Moses told Reuters that the people of Israel deserve that those responsible for the October 7 'disaster' will disappear from public view.

Tuesday's ballot is the first after the Hamas 2023 attack on Israel and the wars that followed, and opinion polls show a close race between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and Eisenkot.

Voters began casting ballots after polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT). The polls close at 10 p.m. (2000 GMT).

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

KIBBUTZ NIR OZ, ISRAEL (OCTOBER 27, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CANDIDATE FOR PRIME MINISTER IN ISRAEL'S ELECTION, GADI EISENKOT, APPROACHING MICROPHONE TO ADDRESS JOURNALISTS AFTER HE VISITED KIBBUTZ NIR OZ THAT WAS BADLY HIT IN THE HAMAS-LED ATTACK ON ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 7, 2023, WHERE HE MET CAPTIVITY SURVIVOR GADI MOSES

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) CANDIDATE FOR PRIME MINISTER IN ISRAEL'S ELECTION, GADI EISENKOT, SAYING:

"Unfortunately, this morning the same number of Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip is the same number I heard on the night of the (ground) offensive (3 years ago) — 30,000 Hamas terrorists. And 7,000-10,000 Islamic Jihad terrorists. I stood here and promised that 18 months from the moment we form the government, I commit to dismantling Hamas's military-governing force or to destroy it. That will be a commitment I will stand by. I am convinced we will finish tonight with change and a new spirit for the State of Israel that will bring remedy to the three years we have been through."

3. EISENKOT THANKING JOURNALISTS, WALKING AWAY

4. EISENKOT'S CONVOY LEAVING

5. EISENKOT LEAVING HOUSE WITH HAMAS CAPTIVITY SURVIVOR, GADI MOSES, WHO IS HEADING TO VOTING STATION IN KIBBUTZ/ MEETING PEOPLE

6. EISENKOT AND MOSES WALKING IN KIBBUTZ

7. EISENKOT HUGGING PEOPLE

8. EISENKOT STANDING WITH PEOPLE

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) CANDIDATE FOR PRIME MINISTER IN ISRAEL'S ELECTION, GADI EISENKOT, STANDING WITH HAMAS CAPTIVITY, SURVIVOR GADI, MOSES, SAYING:

"This morning, exactly three years ago, you were already 20 days in the Gaza Strip, but it was the (inaudible) when three divisions started the ground offensive."

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) CANDIDATE FOR PRIME MINISTER IN ISRAEL'S ELECTION, GADI EISENKOT, STANDING WITH HAMAS CAPTIVITY SURVIVOR, GADI MOSES, SAYING:

"I completely accept that there is great symbolism in starting at Nir Oz — with 64? 64 murdered? (MOSES CORRECTS TO 65). 65 murdered, 70 captives taken, right? 70 hostages. It's about coming to see this part that we saw, to see the strength and the human power. It's mainly people who take... and move forward to a community that symbolizes resilience and heroism. And the first step that begins here will end tonight at 10 at night, with what I am convinced (will be) a victory for the State of Israel."

11. EISENKOT POSING WITH PEOPLE FOR PHOTO

12. MOSES WALKING TOWARDS VOTING STATION

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) HAMAS CAPTIVITY SURVIVOR, GADI MOSES, SAYING:

"I want to say that the people of Israel deserve a change on this day and something new. That all those responsible for the disaster that happened to us on 7/10 will be gone from our sight. We need to elect, I don't mind from which Zionist party, we need to elect new leaders."

14. MOSES, EISENKOT AND OTHERS POSING FOR PHOTO