Israel just voted in a critical election. But the ultimate outcome will take time to become clear

Israel concluded its critical elections on Tuesday night, but the outcome remains uncertain, according to exit polls. Neither incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, secured the 61 seats required for a governing majority in the 120-member Knesset. Major Israeli television channels projected Netanyahu's Likud bloc at 51-52 seats, down from the 68-seat coalition he led previously.

Despite this, Likud is expected to remain the largest party with 25-27 seats. The opposition, however, holds a clear majority of 68-70 seats but faces challenges in coalition-building due to internal divisions among parties. Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party is projected to win 21-23 seats, but he seeks cooperation with Arab parties, a deal some opposition leaders resist.

A Channel 14 exit poll suggested a potential 60-seat win for the pro-Netanyahu bloc, but as official results are still pending, the situation remains fluid. Netanyahu and Eisenkot addressed their supporters, expressing gratitude and claiming victory while refusing to declare a definitive win. Netanyahu emphasized the right-wing bloc's support from the Zionist and Jewish public, while Eisenkot claimed the public had voted against Netanyahu's leadership.

The election saw the highest voter turnout in decades, particularly among Israel's Arab population, which typically casts lower voter numbers. The two main Arab parties, the Joint List and Raam, are projected to secure around 1 seat each. With the final vote count expected to take a few days, the path to forming a new government remains unclear, marking a significant moment in Israel's political landscape.