Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men look at a screen displaying voter turnout in their community during Israel's general election in Jerusalem. (Photo: AP)Israel’s election has left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his challenger, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, facing a political deadlock, with exit polls showing neither bloc securing the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Updated projections from Channels 11 and 13 put both camps at 51 seats each, while Channel 12 gives Netanyahu’s bloc a narrow lead with 52 seats. Likud is projected to remain the largest individual party, but its position may not be enough to secure another term for Netanyahu. Arab-led parties, projected to win around 16-18 seats, could emerge as crucial players in coalition negotiations. Both leaders have claimed political legitimacy, with Eisenkot arguing that voters have rejected Netanyahu’s leadership, while the prime minister has called for a right-wing government. Turnout reached 77.7%, the highest in more than two decades. Official counting is under way, and coalition negotiations could stretch for weeks. Exit polls · Oct 27Israel election 2026: No bloc reaches 61Three of five exit polls put the anti-Netanyahu bloc ahead, two the Netanyahu-led bloc. Likud is the biggest party in all of them.Projected seats in the 120-seat KnessetTap an exit poll. A bloc needs to pass the dashed line at the top to reach 61 seats. Kan 11 Channel 12 Channel 13 Channel 14 i24 NEWSKan 11 exit pollANTI-NETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD61 FOR MAJORITY 501753120seats50Netanyahu-led bloc17Arab parties53Anti-Netanyahu blocChannel 12 exit pollANTI-NETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD61 FOR MAJORITY 501852120seats50Netanyahu-led bloc18Arab parties52Anti-Netanyahu blocChannel 13 exit pollANTI-NETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD61 FOR MAJORITY 501753120seats50Netanyahu-led bloc17Arab parties53Anti-Netanyahu blocChannel 14 exit pollNETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD61 FOR MAJORITY 601743120seats60Netanyahu-led bloc17Arab parties43Anti-Netanyahu bloci24NEWS exit pollNETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD61 FOR MAJORITY 551649120seats55Netanyahu-led bloc16Arab parties49Anti-Netanyahu blocParty by party: Kan 11Channel 12Channel 13Channel 14i24NEWSLikudBenjamin Netanyahu 2524253027Yashar!Gadi Eisenkot 2122231920B’YachadNaftali Bennett 14121411–JLJoint List 10111010–DemocratsYair Golan 10999–Yisrael BeytenuAvigdor Liberman 8974–ShasAryeh Deri 6869–Ra’amMansour Abbas 7777–UTJUTJ 6677–Otzma YehuditItamar Ben-Gvir 7667–Religious ZionismBezalel Smotrich 6667–i24NEWS has published only its figures for Likud (27 seats) and Yashar! (20 seats).Largest party24–30 seatsLikud (Netanyahu) leads in all five exit polls.Runner-up19–23 seatsYashar! (Gadi Eisenkot) is second in all five.Closest to 6160 seatsChannel 14’s projection for the Netanyahu bloc, one short.KEY TAKEAWAYNo clear path to a majorityWith 61 seats needed to form a government, neither bloc reaches the mark in any exit poll, pointing to complex coalition talks.Exit polls are projections, not official results. Estimates vary by broadcaster, and seat counts may change once all ballots, including double-envelope ballots, are counted. Blocs: Netanyahu-led = Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), Religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit; anti-Netanyahu = Yashar!, B’Yachad (Naftali Bennett), Democrats, Yisrael Beytenu; Arab parties = Joint List, Ra’am.Sources: Exit polls by Kan 11, Channel 12, Channel 13, Channel 14 and i24NEWS (Oct 27, 2026), via Israel Hayom, Ynet and i24NEWS. Express InfoGenIE Created by Aniruddha DharWhere the votes stand right now: Official results are not out yet, so the seat numbers come from exit polls, which have a patchy record in close races. The latest projections give Netanyahu’s camp 51 to 52 seats and the opposition bloc 49 to 51, while Arab parties could win 18 to 19 seats between them. Earlier exit polls had put the opposition slightly ahead. Local media said 28% of votes had been counted at about 5am in Tel Aviv. Exit polls do not include the hundreds of thousands of votes cast at special polling stations, such as military bases, hospitals, prisons and embassies. In the last election, those votes tended to favour Netanyahu and his allies, The New York Times said. After the official totals, President Isaac Herzog will invite the leader he thinks is most likely to build a coalition.Story continues below this adEisenkot claims the mood for change: He told supporters “the public wants change”. He also warned Netanyahu not to use his powers as caretaker prime minister, or Israel’s security, to shape the talks on a new government, the Times said.Netanyahu says Likud is the largest party: He called for a “national right-wing government”. Likud did win more votes than any other single party, but exit polls show his bloc short of 61 seats.Arab parties could decide the outcome: They are projected to have their strongest result ever. Netanyahu has effectively ruled out working with them, and Eisenkot and his partners have also hesitated.Other routes are being discussed: Analysts are weighing a unity government between Netanyahu and Eisenkot, but the two would have to agree who becomes prime minister. Eisenkot has also floated a minority government.Arab politicians accuse Netanyahu of stoking hatred: Leaders of Arab-led lists said he incited hatred against Palestinian citizens of Israel to help his chances.Follow the latest updates on the Israel election here. This live blog tracks the key developments as voting day unfolds. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed through the day to reflect the most important news from the vote.Live UpdatesOct 28, 2026 11:28 AM ISTWe have started a new live blog on the Israel election exit poll results. Stay with us for all the latest updates.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd