Israel elections 2026 LIVE updates: Voting began across Israel on Tuesday in a high-stakes national election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a tough challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot and other opposition leaders. A total of 7,331,981 Israelis are eligible to vote, with polling stations opening at 7am local time (9:30am IST). Voting will continue until 10pm (12:30am IST on Wednesday), after which exit polls are expected to offer the first indication of the outcome....
The election comes amid growing scrutiny of Netanyahu's leadership following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the wars that followed.
The 77-year-old incumbent has served as Israel's prime minister for more than 19 years across multiple terms. He is seeking to retain power as his opponents campaign on questions of national security, accountability and the government's handling of the October 7 attack.
Eisenkot invokes Oct 7 attack in last-minute appeal
Gadi Eisenkot, the former IDF chief of staff and one of Netanyahu's principal rivals, invoked the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack in a last-minute appeal to voters on Tuesday.
Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, urged Israelis to remember the events of that day as they headed to polling stations, saying the election offered an opportunity to change the country's leadership.
"06:29 Remember this hour when you go to vote. Today we have an opportunity to put a slip in the ballot box, to replace the government of October 7th and the shirking, and to set Israel on a new and better path. To be worthy. I am committed," he posted on X just ahead of the polls.
His campaign has portrayed Netanyahu's continued leadership as a threat to the country's security, arguing that a change in government is necessary.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, has sought to turn the focus towards the political composition of a possible opposition government.
The prime minister has portrayed his rivals as a left-leaning bloc that could be forced to depend on Arab parties to secure a parliamentary majority.
How do elections in Israel work?
Israel follows a proportional representation system in which citizens vote for political parties rather than individual candidates for prime minister.
The country's parliament, the Knesset, has 120 seats, meaning a party or coalition must secure at least 61 seats to form a majority government.
Parties must win at least 3.25 per cent of the national vote to enter parliament. Seats are then distributed among qualifying parties according to their share of the votes.
Official counting will follow, with the final vote tally expected by October 30. The results are scheduled to be formally published on November 4.
Once the final results are available, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will consult leaders of the political parties to assess which candidate has the strongest chance of forming a government.
That candidate will have up to 42 days to negotiate with other parties and put together a governing coalition.
Israel elections 2026 LIVE updates: Defence minister Katz urges voters to back ‘offensive approach’ to security
Israel elections 2026 LIVE updates: Israeli defence minister Israel Katz on Tuesday urged voters to support the government's security policies, saying the election presented a choice between an offensive approach and a return to "containment and appeasement".
Katz claimed that Israel had strengthened its security by striking Iran twice, expanding its security boundaries in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, and fortifying its eastern border and the Jordan Valley.
"Erdogan and Israel's enemies are concerned about this power and determination—Israeli citizens must support it to complete the job," he said, adding, "Give us the power to continue and do it!"
Israel elections 2026 LIVE updates: Arab parties may emerge as kingmakers
Israel elections 2026 LIVE updates: Israel could face weeks of coalition negotiations after Tuesday's election if neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's religious and ultranationalist alliance nor the opposition bloc secures a parliamentary majority.
No single party has ever won an outright majority in Israel's parliament, making coalition-building crucial to forming a government.
Arab-led parties, which are pushing for a high voter turnout, could emerge as kingmakers if they agree to back either side and other parties are willing to join an alliance with them, reported AP.
Israel elections 2026 LIVE updates: When will Israel election results be announced?
Israel elections 2026 LIVE updates: Voting will conclude at 10 pm local time on Tuesday, or 12:30 am IST on Wednesday, October 28.
Israeli television channels are expected to release exit polls immediately after voting ends, offering an early indication of how the parties have performed.
