Israelis vote in high-stakes election as Netanyahu faces tough challenge from Eisenkot

Summary

Israelis began voting on Tuesday in an election widely billed as the most consequential in the country's history, with millions of people set to cast ballots. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a tough challenge from Eisenkot, and thousands of volunteer election observers were in place at polling stations as they opened. The Guardian's live coverage reports that updated exit polls show Netanyahu's bloc and Eisenkot's opposition grouping tied at 51 seats each, with Palestinian parties surging, and describes the race as too close to call. Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad flew in to vote, according to the US-based nonprofit Aid Coalition.

Timeline

1. Al Jazeera

   27 Oct 2026, 04:30 UTCSource ↗

   Its live blog reports that millions of people are set to vote in an election widely billed as the most consequential in Israel's history, with Netanyahu facing a tough test in high-stakes polls.

2. Hindustan Times

   27 Oct 2026, 05:28 UTCSource ↗

   It reports that voting began on Tuesday in Israel's high-stakes election as Netanyahu faces a tough challenge from Eisenkot, with thousands of volunteer Israeli election observers in place at polling stations across the country.

3. The Guardian

   28 Oct 2026, 03:41 UTCSource ↗

   Its live blog reports that updated exit polls show Netanyahu's bloc and Eisenkot's opposition grouping tied at 51 seats each, that Palestinian parties are surging, and that tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad flew in to vote, according to the nonprofit Aid Coalition.