Overview
- Exit polls and early partial counts published after polls closed Tuesday showed neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s right‑wing bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition won the 61 seats needed to form a majority in the 120‑seat Knesset.
- Likud remained the largest single party in projections with roughly mid‑20 seats while Arab‑led lists were projected to win about 16–19 seats, positioning them to determine which bloc can assemble a government or whether they will withhold support.
- Turnout was unusually high, reported at about 77.7 percent by the Central Elections Committee, a surge that analysts and party leaders credited with reshaping margin calculations and strengthening smaller lists.
- Official counting is still ongoing and provisional; once results are final President Isaac Herzog will consult party leaders and a nominated lawmaker will have up to 28 days plus a possible 14‑day extension to try to form a coalition.
- The vote was widely framed as a referendum on wartime leadership and accountability after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, leaving immediate policy questions on Gaza, the West Bank and military service unresolved while negotiations or a new election play out.