TEL AVIV — Israeli exit polls following a hard-fought general election indicate no clear winner, leaving the race between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition challenger Gadi Eisenkot too close to call.
The high-stakes election followed what many voters and pundits viewed as a crucial referendum on Netanyahu's long-standing rule and his handling of security and conflicts following the October 7, 2023 attacks. Voter turnout surged significantly, with Israel’s Central Elections Committee reporting an estimated national turnout of 66.7% by late afternoon, marking the highest participation rate recorded at that time of day since hourly tracking began in 1973.
While official and preliminary results will begin trickling in starting at midnight local time, complete vote counting and final tallies could take days or even weeks. Past Israeli elections have frequently hinged on narrow margins where exit polls proved variable, suggesting that weeks or months of complex coalition negotiations lie ahead for the fractured parliament.
