Exit polls following Israeli elections indicate no clear winner

What the report says

Exit polls from Israel’s 2026 election point to a stalemate rather than a clear winner, according to Al Jazeera. The results, based on interviews with voters after they cast ballots, suggest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc would win about 50 seats, while the bloc led by opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot would secure 52 or 53 seats. A majority in the Knesset requires 61 seats. Arab parties are projected to win 18 seats collectively.

Al Jazeera reported that polling stations closed at 10 p.m. local time on October 27, with preliminary results expected on Wednesday, a final tally on Friday, and official results due on November 4. The outlet said voter turnout reached 74.3 percent by 8 p.m., above the 70.63 percent recorded in the 2022 election. The Central Elections Committee also rejected a request from Netanyahu’s Likud Party to extend voting hours.

The vote is being closely watched because it is the first Israeli election since the war in Gaza began after Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. Al Jazeera said the contest is widely seen as a test of Netanyahu’s leadership and his handling of the conflict and its aftermath. Exit polls have historically given a strong early indication, but they are still not the final count.