Key facts
- At least nine Israelis whose families were directly affected by the October 7 attacks are running for parliament.
- Candidates represent parties across the political spectrum, united by a desire to heal Israel's wounds.
- Michal Hirsch Negri's son, Roee, died fighting Hamas attackers in Kibbutz Be'eri.
- Noam Tibon, a former general, had his son trapped with his family in their home on Nahal Oz.
- Sharon Sharabi is campaigning for the release of his brothers, one of whom did not survive captivity.
- Talik Gvili, whose police officer son's remains were recovered from Gaza, is a candidate on Netanyahu's party slate.
At least nine Israelis whose families were directly impacted by the October 7 Hamas attacks are running for parliament in upcoming elections, representing a range of political views but united by a desire to heal the nation's wounds.
Michal Hirsch Negri, whose son Roee died fighting Hamas attackers in Kibbutz Be'eri, is running for the Together party, led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. She stated that her son's actions and words inspire her to seek solutions rather than dwell on problems.
Noam Tibon, a former general, is also running with the Together party. His son was trapped with his young family during the attacks on Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Tibon described October 7 as the biggest failure in Israel's history, a sentiment Netanyahu has rejected blame for.
Sharon Sharabi, running for the right-wing Israel Our Home party, is campaigning for the release of his brothers, Yossi and Eli, who were seized by Hamas. Yossi did not survive captivity, while Eli was released after nearly 500 days. Sharabi stated he felt compelled to enter politics to remedy the country's direction.
Conversely, Talik Gvili, whose son Ran was the last Israeli hostage whose remains were recovered, has been chosen by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party to run for parliament.
Former hostages also shared their experiences of captivity and their appreciation for freedom. Emily Damari, abducted wounded from Kfar Aza and released in January 2025, expressed gratitude for simple things like cold water and being surrounded by family. Eli Sharabi, seized from Kibbutz Be'eri and released in February 2025 after 491 days, established the Shalva Sharabi Family Centre to help trauma-affected families, in memory of his slain wife and daughters.
Hagar Brodutch, seized with her three children and freed in November 2023, is pursuing pastry baking classes as a form of therapy and a potential new profession, acknowledging that returning to her previous management role might not be possible. Aviva Siegel, released in November 2023 while her husband Keith remained captive until February 2025, joined the hostage release campaign and finds strength in love from family and strangers.