Israeli exit polls show deadlock between Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs

Exit polls from Israel's national election indicate that no clear winner has emerged, leaving the country facing potential political deadlock. The Irish Examiner, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, Sky News, The Independent, CNBC, and the BBC all reported that exit polls show neither major political group secured a governing majority in the vote held on Tuesday. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

The Irish Examiner and Al Jazeera both reported that neither the political bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the group led by his main rival, former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, reached the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Al Jazeera projected that the bloc led by Eisenkot would secure 52 seats. [1][2]

Sky News and The Independent reported that Eisenkot's bloc was projected slightly ahead of Netanyahu's group. The Irish Examiner reported that the inconclusive outcome is likely to lead to weeks of political jockeying to form a government, or could potentially force another round of elections. [1][4][5]

The vote was the country's first national election since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas. The Irish Examiner and Al Jazeera noted that the election was widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu's handling of the 2023 attack. [1][2]