26th Knesset elections: Netanyahu bloc ahead without a majority as final results await

⏱️ Timeline

1. 28 Oct 2026, 07:00 Israeli media estimated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc would win 57 of the Knesset's 120 seats and Eisenkot's bloc 47, after 37.4% of votes were counted, with counting continuing and final results pending.
2. 28 Oct 2026, 09:12 Hebrew Channel 12 reported that 40% of the results had been counted so far, noting that neither camp had been decided.
3. 28 Oct 2026, 09:21 The Hebrew Davne Li'el page, citing preliminary results, reported that after 48% of votes were counted Netanyahu's bloc had 55 seats, the change bloc 50 and the Arab parties 15.
4. 28 Oct 2026, 10:07 Israel Hayom reported that after 60% of votes were counted Netanyahu's bloc had 56 seats, the change bloc 48 and the Arab parties 16.
5. 28 Oct 2026, 10:42 The Hebrew JNS website reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was celebrating his Likud party's win while Gadi Eisenkot pointed to the change bloc's advantage, noting that neither side had a majority to form a government and referring to struggles for control of the Knesset and attempts to form a minority government.
6. 28 Oct 2026, 11:18 Israel Hayom reported that after about 70% of votes were counted, Netanyahu's bloc had 54 seats, the change bloc 47 and the Arab parties 19.
7. 28 Oct 2026, 12:43 Yedioth Ahronoth reported that about 77% of votes had been counted, with Netanyahu's bloc at 54 seats against 49 for Eisenkot.
8. 28 Oct 2026, 18:35 Maariv reported that preliminary election results pointed to a political deadlock and that President Isaac Herzog might promote a rotation of power and a pardon for Benjamin Netanyahu.
9. 28 Oct 2026, 19:05 A report on Lebanon Debate said Netanyahu had lost the parliamentary majority and that the Arab blocs now held the fate of his government; a later report on the same channel said Jabareen supports a government that excludes Netanyahu, without further details.
10. 28 Oct 2026, 21:10 Maariv reported that about 88.6% of votes had been counted, with Netanyahu's bloc at 53 seats and Eisenkot's bloc at 48; Yedioth Ahronoth later reported that after 90% of votes were counted there was no change in the blocs' seats.
11. 29 Oct 2026, 08:48 Israeli media announced that 98.6% of ballots in the general elections had been counted, with estimates that Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc would hold 53 Knesset seats, as reported by Lebanon Debate and Lebanon ON without further details on the results.
12. 29 Oct 2026, 08:53 The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party led the count of the "double envelopes" in the Knesset elections, namely votes usually cast by soldiers and voters outside their places of residence.
13. 29 Oct 2026, 09:46 Hebrew Channel 12 reported that after 91% of votes were counted Netanyahu's bloc had 53 seats and Eisenkot's bloc 48; Haaretz reported that counting of about 94% of votes had finished without changes in the results; and Hebrew Kan reported about 94.4% counted with Netanyahu's bloc ahead at 53 seats against 48 for Eisenkot's bloc.
14. 29 Oct 2026, 16:58 Israeli media reported the completion of vote counting in the 26th Knesset elections and that final results would be announced soon, and the Israeli election committee announced that all ballots had been counted; after about 100% of votes were counted, Maariv indicated Netanyahu's bloc had 53 seats and Eisenkot's bloc 48.
15. 29 Oct 2026, 19:50 The Israeli election committee announced that the final election results would be published after the integrity review is completed, next Wednesday.

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