Parents of fallen soldier Itay Chen urge voters to demand 7 October inquiry
The parents of Itay Chen, an Israeli soldier killed during the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack whose body was taken to Gaza, have urged citizens to vote only for parties that pledge to establish a state commission of inquiry into the massacre. The appeal was made on Saturday, 8 August 2026, during a weekly anti-government protest at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, attended by approximately 200 people. Hagit Chen, Itay’s mother, stated that they were not seeking pity but answers, challenging candidates to commit to an inquiry or forfeit their right to public support. Ruby Chen, Itay’s father, described the government's failure to form such a commission nearly three years on as an evasion of responsibility. He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ministers of attacking critics to deflect scrutiny from the government's performance. Critics argue that Netanyahu seeks to avoid an independent inquiry, which would be appointed by the Supreme Court Chief Justice, fearing bias. Netanyahu, who has not accepted personal responsibility for the attack, previously advocated for a state commission to investigate a former government in 2022. Polls indicate a majority of Israelis support the formation of such a body, which holds the unique power to subpoena witnesses. In political developments, Channel 12 reported that former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman are discussing a potential merger or alliance. The reported goal is to prevent Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yeshar party, from becoming prime minister, even if his party secures the most seats among the opposition. By potentially merging, Bennett and Liberman aim to surpass Eisenkot’s seat count. Recent polling suggests Eisenkot could win 23 seats, while Bennett and Liberman’s parties could secure 15 and 11 respectively. Meanwhile, former Likud lawmakers Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein have announced plans to form a new party focused on universal military conscription, stating they would only join a broad unity government. The election is scheduled for 27 October.