By Steven Scheer and Alexander Cornwell

JERUSALEM, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Israelis surged to the polls on Tuesday at a pace that shattered records, to pass wartime judgment on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in what voters described as the most consequential election in the nation's history.

Long lines formed outside polling stations for the first election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, with voters passionately engaged over the trauma of ‌the country's deadliest day and the ensuing wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

The Central Elections Committee reported that 44.9% of eligible voters had already cast their ballots within the first seven hours of voting, with eight ‌more hours to go. That "broke all records", it said.

Policies of Netanyahu's right-wing coalition have been divisive at home and have deepened Israel's international isolation, while he has defended his record, calling ...