Midway through voting, Israeli turnout hits 53-year high

In Israel, the voter turnout reached a 53-year high midway through the election day, with 45% of the eligible voters casting their ballots. This surge in participation poses a potential challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as it might push some parties in his coalition under the electoral threshold, complicating his quest for a 61-seat majority in the parliament.

Arab minority communities, who traditionally have lower voting rates, could record their highest-ever representation in the parliament, should turnout remain this high.

As in past elections, Netanyahu has attempted to motivate his supporters by spreading false narratives about members of his opposition's Muslim Brotherhood, alleging they are manipulating the election outcome.

The Central Elections Commission responded to the long queues at polling stations nationwide by issuing directives to expedite the voting process and clarified that voters arriving at a polling station by 10 pm local time (4pm ET) would still be permitted to cast their votes.

The polls close at 10 pm local time and the exit polls will be broadcast by Israel's three television networks.

This election is a significant turning point in Israel's recent history, with both sides warning that a victory for the opposing camp could jeopardize Israel's future. The election serves as a critical moment for voters to evaluate Netanyahu's performance over the past four years, specifically regarding the security fallout from the Hamas-led October 7 attacks and the military campaigns that ensued.