As Palestinian citizens of Israel voted and their political parties secured seats in the Israeli Knesset, many Gazans saw little reason to expect a change in Israel's genocidal policies towards Palestinians.
From tents and damaged homes, residents of the Gaza Strip followed Tuesday's Israeli elections, paying particular attention to turnout among Palestinian voters and the performance of Arab electoral lists.
Preliminary results released on Friday morning, with nearly all votes counted, showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition securing 53 seats, compared with 48 for the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, while Arab parties won 19 seats, a historic record, according to Israeli media.
The results left the formation of the next government uncertain, with neither camp assured of securing a parliamentary majority, according to the Israeli media outlets.
Gazans, however, question whether Palestinian representation in the Knesset could translate into meaningful influence over Israeli policies affecting Palestinians.
Limits of Palestinian political influence
Gaza-based political analyst Tayseer Abdullah told The New Arab that the preliminary results reflected the continued dominance of hardline Zionist forces and the absence of an influential left-wing alternative offering a fundamentally different approach towards Palestinians.
"Israel's main political camps continue to prioritise military and security solutions while supporting settlement expansion, leaving little reason to expect a fundamental shift in policy," he said.
Commenting on the participation of Palestinian citizens of Israel, Abdullah said their parliamentary representation was important but remained limited in its ability to influence major political and security decisions.
He argued that the results should be assessed not simply by the number of seats won by Arab parties but by their actual capacity to influence government policies, particularly those affecting Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Even if Netanyahu lost power, Abdullah warned, a government led by other right-wing figures would not necessarily reverse the policies that have devastated Gaza or alleviate the humanitarian crisis facing its population.
He added that, in the absence of a political force committed to Palestinian rights and a genuine peace process, a change in Israeli leadership alone was unlikely to end the war or bring meaningful improvements to Palestinian living conditions.
Abdullah also pointed to the marginalisation of Arab parties despite their parliamentary representation, noting that major Israeli political forces remained reluctant to cooperate with them.
Excluding Arab citizens from political partnerships, he warned, could further weaken confidence in electoral participation as a means of influencing decision-making.
Another Gaza-based political analyst, Mustafa Ibrahim, told TNA that the preliminary results had complicated expectations of a clear opposition victory.
"Neither Netanyahu's camp nor its rivals appeared certain of securing the majority needed to form a government," he said.
The political deadlock could lead to prolonged coalition negotiations, another political figure being tasked with forming a government, or fresh elections if efforts to establish a coalition failed, he added.
However, Ibrahim cautioned that political uncertainty did not necessarily mean Netanyahu would lose power or that Israeli policies towards Palestinians would change.
Ramallah-based political analyst Esmat Mansour also said the final distribution of seats could affect the prospects of forming a government, depending on whether smaller parties crossed the electoral threshold.
"A prolonged stalemate or another election could follow if neither camp secured a majority," he said, adding that regional tensions involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran could increase the risk of further escalation.
Fatah welcomes Arab participation, Hamas remains sceptical
Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh described the Israeli elections as an internal Israeli affair but expressed hope that a political partner committed to a just peace would emerge.
In a statement on X on Thursday, he said implementing international resolutions was essential to achieving security, peace and stability in the region.
Fatah, meanwhile, views the participation of Palestinian citizens of Israel and the possible weakening of the Israeli far right as an opportunity to influence the country's political balance.
Its spokesperson, Maher al-Nammoura, told TNA that Palestinian participation reflected a desire to challenge the far-right government and its policies towards Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
He welcomed the support for Arab electoral lists, expressing hope that their stronger parliamentary representation would improve the opposition's chances of ending Netanyahu's rule.
"We hope these results will strengthen the opposition's ability to end Netanyahu's rule and weaken the far-right forces that have pushed the region towards further confrontation," he said.
Al-Nammoura added that Netanyahu's departure would be an important step towards changing the political climate.
However, he stressed that any meaningful change must be reflected on the ground, including an end to the war in Gaza, respect for Palestinian rights and a halt to measures undermining the prospects of a political settlement.
Hamas, however, remains sceptical that Netanyahu's departure would bring more moderate Israeli leadership.
A movement source, speaking anonymously, told TNA that Netanyahu was especially responsible for blocking ceasefire commitments, though other Israeli leaders also held positions harmful to Palestinians.
He said Hamas had repeatedly raised Israeli violations with mediators and Peace Council representatives, urging progress on the US president's plan and the roadmap discussed in Cairo.
Hamas remained committed to the agreements, including the roadmap presented by Nikolay Mladenov, the Peace Council's Gaza representative, and hoped election results could help advance implementation, he noted.
Little hope for change
The election results offered little reason for displaced Gazans to expect improvements in Palestinian lives, whether inside Israel or in the occupied territories.
Fawzi Abu Nasser, displaced from Beit Hanoun and now living in a tent in Gaza City, told TNA that he doubted the elections would bring meaningful change.
"Palestinians inside Israel have the right to vote, but they still struggle to live safely and secure their basic rights. Crime and violence are spreading in their towns, while the authorities are failing to protect them. So what can these elections really change?" he said.
Yazan al-Sharif, another Gaza City resident, believes that the problem extends beyond Netanyahu to the broader Israeli political establishment.
"Even Palestinians inside Israel face discrimination and violence. They participate in elections, but this has not stopped policies undermining their rights or the growing crime in their communities," he told TNA.
Al-Sharif said a victory by a genuine left-wing candidate might have opened the door to a different approach towards Palestinians.
However, he feared an Eisenkot-led government would be no better, citing his right-wing background and the deaths of his son and nephew in Gaza.
He also called for an end to the division between Fatah and Hamas, saying Palestinian political fragmentation had further compounded people's suffering.
Abdullah al-Helou, another Gaza City resident, highlighted the contrast between Palestinian citizens of Israel, who can vote in parliamentary elections, and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, who cannot elect their own national leadership.
"Palestinians inside Israel can elect representatives to parliament, but they still struggle for their rights. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank cannot even elect their own national leadership. This shows the limits of political participation," he told TNA.
For Gazans, the experience of Palestinian citizens of Israel illustrates the limits of electoral participation: the right to vote does not necessarily guarantee equality, protection or the ability to change policies that shape people's lives.
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