Israel's parliament sworn in without forming a government

Israel's parliament was sworn in without a new government, after ⁠a deadlocked general election stripped Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his parliamentary majority but left his main rivals with no clear path to power.

Politicians elected in the 27 October vote took their oaths of office as Gadi Eisenkot, a former general, sought to forge a coalition after Israel's president tasked him on Sunday with forming a government.

Mr Eisenkot and his allies also lack a majority and he has yet to strike deals with parties that could bring him to power.

The stalemate has raised the risk that the new parliament's term could be extremely short if Mr Eisenkot and Mr Netanyahu both fail to form coalitions, another round of elections could follow.

Presiding over the swearing-in ceremony, President Isaac Herzog said: "You must do everything to avoid a repeat election."

"Reach out a hand for compromise, even between rivals... Look upon one another with generosity. There ‌is much work to be done here, and ⁠it requires the ability and experience found in every part of this House."

Parliament could try set up 7 October inquiry

Mr Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister until a new candidate manages to form a coalition.

His right-wing Likud party's alliance with far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties outperformed election expectations but still lost its majority, now holding 53 of the Knesset's 120 seats.

Mr Eisenkot's centre-right Yashar party and patchwork partner factions hold just 48 seats.

But they have potential allies in Israel's Arab-led parties, which hold 19 seats and are aligned with ‌Mr Eisenkot in their vehement opposition to Mr Netanyahu.

This means that the newly sworn-in parliament could still deliver on some of Mr Eisenkot's campaign promises, such as potentially setting up a commission of inquiry into the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks, something ⁠backed by the Arab parties but largely opposed by Mr Netanyahu.

It also could allow Mr Eisenkot to replace the current Knesset speaker, a Likud member.

Mr Herzog told ‌Knesset members that parliament was "duty bound to leave no stone unturned" in investigating and understanding the "catastrophe" of 7 October, while ⁠Israel continues to ‌face threats from Iran and its proxies.

Mr Eisenkot initially has until 6 December to form a government but he can seek a two-week extension to 20 December.

He has acknowledged his path to power is "extraordinarily complex".

His potential pathways include trying to form a minority government with Arab party support; forming a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties that he and his allies have shunned in the ⁠past; or forging a unity government with Mr Netanyahu.

All three options face formidable obstacles.

Ultra-Orthodox parties have so far said they would not join a government led by Mr Eisenkot.

For his part, Mr ⁠Netanyahu has cast doubt on the election results by baselessly alleging voter fraud by Arabs, who make up a fifth of the population.

Election officials have said they are probing potential misconduct, but that they have seen no evidence of fraud that could have influenced the vote's outcome.

If Mr Eisenkot fails to form a government, Mr Herzog would likely pick Mr Netanyahu to try to form a coalition next.

If Mr Netanyahu fails, another candidate can try, and if that person also fails, a new round of elections would be called.

Among those being sworn in was Elisha Madan, a military reservist who lost both ‌legs fighting in Gaza, and who received an ovation from the plenum when he stood up on his prosthetic legs.

At least seven killed in Gaza

Meanwhile, Israeli forces killed at least seven Palestinians, including a father and his 13-year-old son, in Gaza, local health officials said.

Medics said Fadi Rajab and his son Abubakr were killed in an airstrike that hit the roof of a displacement shelter in the Zeitoun neighbourhood in Gaza City.

A third Palestinian was killed in an Israeli airstrike near a school in ‌Gaza City's Daraj neighbourhood, health ⁠officials in the Hamas-run health service added.

The Israeli military said it struck militants in both areas, without giving further details.

In Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, Israeli gunfire killed a man, medics said.

Later, an Israeli airstrike hit a metal foundry in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City, killing three people, medics said, taking ‌the day's death toll to at least seven.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incidents in Khan Younis ⁠or the Sabra neighbourhood.

A US-brokered ceasefire last year called for the eventual reconstruction ‌of Gaza, but little progress has been made.

Negotiators have been unable ⁠to agree on ‌terms for Hamas to disarm or for Israel to withdraw its troops, which control about two-thirds of the territory and from which residents have been ordered to leave.

Israel says Hamas is trying to regroup ⁠and refill its arsenal.

Hamas says it is committed to the ceasefire agreement and accuses Israel ⁠of trying to undermine it.

At least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire agreement, according to the territory's health officials, while Israel says four soldiers have been killed.

Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people in ‌southern Israel on 7 October 2023.