Overnight coverage stayed with the Taybeh fallout, reporting a Shin Bet-police dawn sweep that detained 10 settlers over the assaults on the American photographer and European diplomats. Defense Minister Katz said Jewish rioters were a police matter and would not restore administrative detention, drawing right-wing anger.

By midday attention turned to election security, with Chief of Staff Zamir ordering a leave freeze from Thursday through next Tuesday's vote and deploying reinforcements to the West Bank. Netanyahu, from an airbase, warned enemies against testing Israel as Iran and the U.S. traded threats and Washington cautioned Beirut against Hezbollah entry.

From early afternoon Gantz's announcement took over front pages. Citing sub-threshold polls, the Blue and White leader said he would sit out the vote and take responsibility for failing to persuade voters, shifting pressure to Winter and Hendel as new polls showed larger parties gaining and a joint Trump-Netanyahu campaign clip circulated.