Election investigations: Results and individual seats
Central Elections Committee chairman Noam Sohlberg, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) chief David Zini said suspected foreign funding to influence the vote would not invalidate the results even if confirmed:
“The scandal is serious, but the overall election results will not be called into question.”
Amit Segal argued that this left unanswered whether interference could affect one seat and change possible governments. He cited roughly 4,000 votes that prevented Ra’am’s eighth seat from becoming Shas’s seventh, asking whether the suspected affair involved more or fewer votes.
Segal reported a six-hour meeting between the three officials, during which Zini complained that the Shin Bet’s legal adviser had prevented him from fully investigating the suspicions. Segal directed his question about suspected vote fraud’s scope to Sohlberg.
A court extended one suspect’s detention by three days, released another under restrictions and ordered a third released to house arrest. Police requested a stay of the third suspect’s release.
i24NEWS alleged that a Joint List Knesset member received hundreds of thousands of shekels in cash, describing apparent criminal bribery and money laundering. It reported no evidence that the money was used on Election Day, reached voters or came from Qatar.
The broadcaster reported disagreement between the Shin Bet chief and other senior officials over the severity, and said the investigation was expected to take considerable time and would not affect this week’s election results.
Gaza: Hamas commanders and weapons facilities
The IDF said a Thursday Nuseirat strike eliminated Hamas squad commander Ihab Jamil Abu Taqiya, involved in holding numerous hostages early in the war, and platoon commander Ibrahim Gihad Muhammad Abu Oshaiba.
The IDF and Shin Bet said a Wednesday Khan Yunis strike eliminated Hamas Nukhba terrorist Muhammad Alian Biyuk.
A separate Rafah strike that Wednesday eliminated several Hamas terrorists, including commander Al-Hamam Jaber Al-Sayed Abu Labda, Mahmoud Abu Naama and Muhammad Hamad Shreiki Sultan.
The IDF said those targeted in Nuseirat and southern Gaza advanced attacks on troops and civilians, particularly recently, and worked to restore Hamas capabilities in systematic ceasefire violations. It said the strikes were carried out to remove their threats.
The IDF and Shin Bet also reported dismantling two Hamas military-wing weapons stores in Al-Bureij and Gaza City in strikes described as taking place Thursday of the previous week.
They held dozens of weapons, including RPGs, explosive devices, rockets, Kalashnikov rifles and grenades, plus magazines. Security forces said they would continue degrading terrorist capabilities and thwarting rebuilding and weapons stockpiling.
Judea and Samaria: Demolitions and arrests
The IDF confirmed demolishing Mohammad Jaaba and Firas Jaaba’s Hebron homes on November 1. The two carried out the October 23 checkpoint shooting that killed Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem and wounded three other troops before the attackers were shot dead.
In the Jenin area, the IDF reported apprehending four terrorists involved in weapons trading who previously operated in the network dismantled during Operation “Iron Wall.” They were transferred for questioning.
Preplanned rescue exercise
The IDF announced a Home Front Command Search and Rescue Brigade exercise beginning November 1 and running that week, practicing simultaneous, multi-front emergencies with other forces and emergency organizations.
It warned of increased security-force and vehicle movement in several areas across Israel, saying the drill was preplanned and did not stem from a new assessment.
