The auditions for Israel's 2025 Eurovision representative are underway on the show Kochav Haba (The Next Star). Survivors of the October 7 massacre are among the contestants, including Yuval Raphael who received the highest score of the season so far. Valerie Hamati, a well-known Israeli-Arab singer, impressed the judges with her performance in disguise. Red Band, a puppet performance group, also charmed the judges. Israel is expected to make a strong showing in the international contest in Switzerland.