Israel will head to the polls on 27 October, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking another term in what is expected to be one of the country's most closely watched elections in recent years.

While Netanyahu remains a dominant figure in Israeli politics, several opposition leaders are positioning themselves as alternatives, each offering a different vision for the country's future amid the continuing fallout from the Gaza war.

Here is a look at the main contenders challenging Netanyahu:

Gadi Eisenkot

Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot, 66, has emerged as one of Netanyahu's strongest challengers. A former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eisenkot entered politics in 2022 alongside centrist leader Benny Gantz before launching his own political party, Yashar, in 2025.

He served on Netanyahu's war cabinet following the October 2023 Hamas attacks but resigned in 2024 after becoming an outspoken critic of the prime minister's handling of the conflict.

Eisenkot has earned widespread public sympathy after losing his son and two nephews during the Gaza war. Although he has kept his position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict largely undefined, opinion polls suggest he has gained support among voters seeking a change in leadership.

Naftali Bennett

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, 54, is widely regarded as Netanyahu's most formidable political rival.

A former technology entrepreneur, Bennett built his political career within Israel's nationalist and religious right and previously led the Yesha Council, which represents Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

In 2021, Bennett ended Netanyahu's then 12-year run in office by forming an ideologically diverse coalition government backed by an Arab political party. Although the government survived only a year, Bennett has returned to frontline politics following the Gaza war.

While maintaining hardline positions on national security and opposing the creation of a Palestinian state, Bennett is viewed by many right-wing voters as a less divisive alternative to Netanyahu. He has also formed an electoral alliance with opposition leader Yair Lapid.

Yair Lapid

Former television presenter turned politician Yair Lapid, 62, has been one of Netanyahu's principal political opponents for more than a decade.

Lapid founded the centrist Yesh Atid party in 2012 and has served as finance minister, foreign minister and briefly as prime minister in 2022 under a power-sharing arrangement with Bennett.

A strong advocate of secular and liberal policies, Lapid played a leading role in protests against the government's controversial judicial reforms before the Gaza war.

Although he retains strong support among urban and centrist voters, analysts believe Lapid is more likely to play the role of coalition builder than emerge as prime minister in his own right. His alliance with Bennett could prove crucial after the election.

Avigdor Lieberman

Veteran politician Avigdor Lieberman, 67, is another experienced challenger in the race.

Born in what was then Soviet Moldova, Lieberman immigrated to Israel in the late 1970s and initially worked closely with Netanyahu, serving as his chief of staff before launching his own party, Yisrael Beiteinu.

Over the years, he has held several senior cabinet positions, including foreign, defence and finance minister.

Lieberman advocates a tough national security policy while also calling for compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, an issue that has become increasingly significant in Israeli politics. He has frequently criticised Netanyahu and remains an influential figure among right-wing and secular voters.