10:40 PM Israel Time — Two Right-Wing Parties Projected to Miss Knesset Threshold as Netanyahu Faces Coalition Challenge

Two smaller right-wing electoral lists are projected to fall below Israel's parliamentary threshold, potentially complicating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to secure a governing majority.

According to the first election-night exit polls, Ofer Winter's Amcha Israel party and the electoral alliance led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha are both projected to receive less than the 3.25% of valid votes required to enter the 120-seat Knesset.

If the projections hold, neither list will receive parliamentary representation.

The development could have significant consequences for the final balance of power. Votes cast for parties that fail to cross the electoral threshold do not translate into Knesset seats, potentially affecting the distribution of seats among parties that qualify.

Initial exit-poll projections from Channels 11, 12 and 13 place Netanyahu's political bloc at approximately 50 seats, below the 61 required for an outright parliamentary majority.

Channel 14 has offered a substantially different projection, placing Netanyahu's bloc at 60 seats, just one short of a majority.

The projected exclusion of the two smaller lists adds another layer of uncertainty to an election in which coalition arithmetic could prove decisive.

However, the fate of both parties remains uncertain until the official ballot count establishes whether they have crossed the electoral threshold.

10:30 PM Israel Time — Eisenkot Vows to Replace Netanyahu Government as First Exit Polls Point to Coalition Uncertainty

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of Israel's Yashar party, has pledged to move quickly toward replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government following the release of the first election-night exit polls.

In remarks reported by Channel 13 at approximately 10:16 PM Israel time, Eisenkot expressed confidence that the election could open the way for a change in government, while acknowledging that the final outcome would depend on the official results.

His comments came shortly after Israeli television networks released their first projections for the 120-seat Knesset.

According to the initial exit-poll comparison displayed by Channel 12, three broadcasters — Channels 11, 12 and 13 — projected 50 seats for Netanyahu's political bloc, while Eisenkot-aligned parties were projected to receive 52 to 53 seats.

Channel 14 presented a sharply different projection, placing Netanyahu's bloc at 60 seats, just one short of the 61 required for a parliamentary majority.

The differences highlight the uncertainty surrounding the election and the challenges facing both political camps in assembling a governing coalition.

Although the projections suggest a possible path toward a change in leadership, neither major bloc has secured an outright parliamentary majority in the initial television estimates.

Eisenkot's response shifts attention toward the political negotiations that could follow the election, particularly the question of which parties might be willing to support a new government.

For Netanyahu, the projections leave open the possibility of remaining in power, but also underscore the importance of the final vote count and potential coalition partners.

The exit polls are projections, not official election results. Seat allocations and coalition prospects may change as ballots are counted.

AH BLICK LIVE will continue following statements from party leaders, developments in the vote count and the race to form Israel's next government.

10:20 PM Israel Time — Israel Faces Coalition Uncertainty as Exit Polls Show No Clear Majority

Israel could be heading into a difficult period of coalition negotiations after the first election-night exit polls suggested that neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, has secured a clear parliamentary majority.

According to exit polls released by Channels 11, 12 and 13, Netanyahu's political bloc is projected to win 50 seats, while Eisenkot-aligned parties are projected to secure 52 to 53 seats.

Arab parties are projected to win a combined 17 to 18 seats, potentially placing them at the center of discussions over the formation of Israel's next government.

The projections leave both major political camps short of the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Although Netanyahu's Likud is projected to remain the largest individual party, Eisenkot's political allies collectively hold a narrow advantage in three of the four broadcasters' projections.

Channel 14 presents a different picture, projecting 60 seats for Netanyahu's bloc — just one short of a majority.

The uncertainty raises questions about whether Eisenkot could assemble a government with support from Arab parties, whether Netanyahu could secure additional parliamentary backing, or whether prolonged negotiations could produce another political stalemate.

The first official vote count is expected to provide a clearer picture as the night progresses.

All figures remain exit-poll projections, not official election results.

AH BLICK LIVE will continue monitoring the vote count, coalition developments and any revisions to the television projections.

10:00 PM Israel Time — First Exit Polls: Netanyahu Bloc Projected at 50–60 Seats as Israeli Broadcasters Diverge

Israel's first election-night exit-poll projections reveal a sharp divide among the country's major television broadcasters, with estimates for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political bloc ranging from 50 to 60 seats in the 120-member Knesset.

According to an election-night comparison displayed by Channel 12 (N12), three broadcasters — Channel 12, Kan 11 and Channel 13 — project Netanyahu's bloc winning 50 seats, well below the 61 required for a parliamentary majority.

Channel 14 projects a significantly stronger result for Netanyahu's bloc: 60 seats, just one short of a majority.

The comparison shows the following projections:

The projections point to very different possible political outcomes. While three broadcasters suggest Netanyahu's existing political allies would remain well short of a majority, Channel 14 places his bloc within reach of the 61-seat threshold.

The differences also highlight the uncertainty surrounding the election, particularly as parties consider potential coalition arrangements.

None of the four projections gives Netanyahu's bloc an outright majority.

The figures are based on television exit polls, which estimate voter behavior rather than count actual ballots. Projections may change as votes are counted and parties' final seat allocations become clearer.

AH BLICK LIVE will continue monitoring election-night developments, updated projections and the official vote count.

9:50 PM Israel Time — Over 300 Bnei Brak Volunteers Make Final Push to Get Voters to Polls

More than 300 volunteers in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak are reportedly working phones to encourage residents to cast their ballots before polling stations close at 10:00 PM, according to Yeshiva World News.

The large-scale voter-mobilization operation comes as Israel's Knesset election enters its final 10 minutes of scheduled voting.

Photographs published by Yeshiva World News show crowded rooms filled with volunteers making telephone calls and coordinating efforts to bring remaining voters to polling stations.

Most polling stations are scheduled to close at 10:00 PM, when the first television exit-poll projections are expected.

9:45 PM Israel Time — Just 15 Minutes Until Polls Close in Israel's Election

Israel's Knesset election is entering its final 15 minutes of scheduled voting, with most polling stations set to close at 10:00 PM Israel time.

With the deadline approaching, attention is shifting to the first television exit-poll projections, expected shortly after voting ends. These projections will offer an early indication of how the 120 Knesset seats could be distributed among the competing political parties.

Voter turnout had reached 74.3% by 8:00 PM, compared with 66.3% at the same hour in the 2022 election — an increase of eight percentage points.

The first exit polls will be estimates, not official results. The final distribution of seats will depend on the counting of actual ballots.

Ah Blick Live will continue following the election as polling stations close and the first projections emerge.

9:30 PM Israel Time — Election Turnout Hits 74.3% by 8 PM, Highest at This Hour Since 1988

Voter turnout in Israel's Knesset election reached 74.3% by 8:00 PM Tuesday, marking the highest participation recorded at that hour since 1988, according to election turnout figures.

The figure represents a sharp increase from the 66.3% recorded at the same hour during the 2022 election, a rise of eight percentage points.

The last time turnout was higher at 8:00 PM was in 1988, when participation reached 75.6%.

An early statistical projection estimates that final turnout could reach 78.3%, with a projected range of 74.3% to 82.6%. The forecast is based on historical voting patterns and is not an official final result.

For comparison, the final nationwide turnout in the 2022 election was 70.6%.

The unusually high participation comes as polling stations prepare to close at 10:00 PM, when the first television exit polls are expected.

No official party results have been announced, and the turnout figures alone do not indicate which political bloc will benefit from the increased participation.

9:00 PM Israel Time — Prison Voter Turnout Reaches 88.7%, Up Sharply From 2022

Voter turnout among eligible prisoners in Israel reached 88.7% as polling stations inside correctional facilities closed at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, according to the Israel Prison Service.

The figure represents a significant increase from the 79% turnout recorded during the 2022 Knesset election, a rise of 9.7 percentage points.

Earlier in the day, the Prison Service reported that 68.1% of eligible prisoners had voted by 2:00 PM, with voting proceeding as usual at correctional facilities across the country.

The figures reflect participation among eligible prisoners, not the entire prison population, and do not indicate which political parties received their votes.

8:30 PM Israel Time — Election Committee Reinforces Ban on Tracking Individual Voters at Polling Stations

Israel's Central Elections Committee has reiterated that political party representatives are prohibited from transmitting information about individual voters' arrival at polling stations or whether they have voted, including through smartphone applications.

The clarification comes amid election-day complaints involving alleged voter monitoring.

According to i24NEWS, the committee said the restrictions apply to all political parties and their representatives.

The development follows complaints by Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad party concerning alleged improper voter tracking. The allegations have not been established as violations.

Voting is scheduled to close at 10:00 PM Israel time, with television exit polls expected shortly afterward.

8:20 PM Israel Time — Likud and Yashar Tied at 23 Seats in Pre-Election Polling Average

A pre-election polling average published by The Petek shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud and Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar tied at 23 projected Knesset seats each, followed by Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad with 14.

The Democrats and Joint List are projected at nine seats each, Shas and Otzma Yehudit at eight each, United Torah Judaism, Yisrael Beiteinu and Religious Zionism at seven each, and Ra'am at five.

Shas and United Torah Judaism are projected to hold a combined 15 seats, potentially giving the Chareidi parties significant influence in coalition negotiations. A governing majority requires 61 of the Knesset's 120 seats.

These figures are pre-election polling estimates, not exit polls or official results. The first television exit polls are expected at 10:00 PM Israel time.

8:00 PM Israel Time — Parties Seek Extension of Voting Hours Amid Long Lines at Polling Stations

Several Israeli political parties have requested an extension of voting hours as long lines were reported at polling stations during the Knesset election.

Likud, Shas, Otzma Yehudit and Ofer Winter's People of Israel party called for voting to continue until 11:00 PM, one hour beyond the scheduled closing time.

The requests cited heavy congestion and concerns that some voters could be discouraged from reaching polling stations before closing.

The Central Elections Committee has clarified that voters already waiting in line when their polling stations close will still be permitted to cast their ballots.

Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party opposed extending voting hours.

No decision approving the proposed extension had been confirmed at the time of this update.

7:30 PM Israel Time — Election Turnout Reaches 66.7% by 6 PM, Nine Points Above 2022

Voter turnout in Israel's Knesset election reached 66.7% by 6:00 PM, according to figures reported from the Central Elections Committee.

The figure represents a nine-percentage-point increase from the 57.7% recorded at the same hour during the 2022 election.

Nearly 4.9 million Israelis had cast their ballots by 6:00 PM, reflecting exceptionally strong participation throughout election day.

Long lines have been reported at polling stations across the country. Election officials have clarified that voters who arrive before the scheduled 10:00 PM closing time will still be permitted to vote, even if queues remain afterward.

7:00 PM Israel Time — Bennett's B’Yachad Party Accuses Likud of Improper Voter Tracking at Polling Stations

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's B’Yachad party filed complaints with Israel's Central Elections Committee, alleging that Likud representatives were improperly monitoring voters through a smartphone application at polling stations.

The complaints alleged that information about voters arriving at polling stations was being relayed to party officials.

The Central Elections Committee disputed the allegations, saying it had not received substantiated reports of the alleged activity at the time of its response.

B’Yachad also reported submitting an additional complaint concerning the Elector application at a polling station in the Lower Galilee.

The allegations have not been established as violations.

6:30 PM Israel Time — Election Committee Says No Evidence of Systematic Ballot Tampering Amid Complaints

Israel's Central Elections Committee said there was no evidence of systematic tampering with ballot slips, despite complaints from several political parties about alleged irregularities at polling stations across the country.

The complaints included reports of missing or damaged ballot slips and suspected attempts to interfere with voting.

The committee stressed that individual incidents were being addressed immediately and urged the public to rely on official information rather than unverified claims circulating online.

Its statement does not rule out isolated irregularities but indicates that officials had not identified a coordinated pattern of ballot-slip tampering.

6:00 PM Israel Time — MK Ahmad Tibi Involved in Heated Confrontation at Tayibe Polling Station

See video above.

TAYIBE, Israel, October 27, 2026 — Arab Knesset member Ahmad Tibi was reportedly involved in a heated confrontation at a polling station in Tayibe during Israel's parliamentary election.

Footage shared on social media appears to show Tibi arguing with another man inside the polling station.

Separate reporting described a dispute involving Tibi and polling officials over voting delays and long queues.

The exact time of the confrontation and the identity of the other individual have not been independently confirmed.
 

5:42 PM Israel Time — Israel Election Turnout Surges to 55.7%, Up 8.2 Points From 2022

Voter turnout in Israel's parliamentary election reached 55.7% by 4:00 p.m., according to figures attributed to the Central Elections Committee.

The figure represents an 8.2-percentage-point increase from the 47.5% recorded at the same hour in 2022. Turnout at 4:00 p.m. stood at 42.3% in 2021 and 47.0% in 2020.

Polling stations are scheduled to close at 10:00 p.m. Israel time.

5:00 PM Israel Time — Election Enters Evening Hours as Netanyahu Faces Crucial Coalition Test 

Israel's parliamentary election enters its evening hours, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition parties competing for control of the 120-seat Knesset. Smaller parties, including Shas and United Torah Judaism, could play a decisive role in coalition negotiations. Polling stations are scheduled to close at 10:00 p.m. Israel time, with exit polls expected afterward.

4:00 PM Israel Time — High Voter Turnout Reported

Voter turnout reportedly reached 44.9% by 2:00 p.m., compared with 38.9% in 2022. More than three million Israelis have reportedly voted, marking the highest turnout at that stage since 1973.

3:00 PM Israel Time — Polling Stations May Remain Open Beyond 10 PM

Israel's Central Elections Committee says voters arriving before the scheduled 10:00 p.m. closing time will be allowed to cast their ballots, even if long lines require polling stations to remain open later.

2:18 PM Israel Time — Four Arrested After Violent Brawl at Rahat Polling Station

See video above.

A violent brawl broke out at a polling location in the southern Israeli city of Rahat on Tuesday, resulting in the arrest of four suspects.

According to Israeli media reports, the confrontation began when members of two families involved in an ongoing dispute encountered one another while waiting to vote.

Footage published by Israeli news outlets shows several individuals exchanging blows during the confrontation, with reports also describing chairs being thrown.

Police arrested four suspects in connection with the incident, and additional arrests were reportedly possible as the investigation continued.

The precise time of the fight has not been confirmed.

10:55 AM Israel Time — Three Arrested in Negev Over Suspected Election Bribery

Israeli police arrested three suspects overnight in the Negev on suspicion of election bribery after discovering envelopes containing tens of thousands of shekels alongside voting materials for the Ra’am party.

Police suspect the money was intended to influence voters in exchange for supporting Ra’am.

The suspects, residents of the Segev Shalom and Ar’ara areas, were taken for questioning as authorities investigate the alleged bribery scheme. Ra’am disputed the police action, alleging interference with its election activities.