No clear winner in Israel's first election since Hamas attack in 2023

Israelis are bracing for a post-election gridlock as partial results show no clear winner in the first polls since Hamas's October 2023 attack. The vote has widely been seen as a pivotal moment for the country and a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the conflict. Turnout was the highest in at least a quarter of a century. As vote counting continues, neither Netanyahu's Likud party and its right-wing allies nor a rival alliance led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot appear on path to a clear win. But in Israel's fragmented parliamentary politics, no single party has ever won outright. With either side needing 61 seats to form a majority government in the 120-seat parliament, this will likely lead to weeks of negotiations to form a coalition. Exit polls show Arab parties projected to win an historically large number of seats, giving them significant leverage in forming the next government. A stalemate could in the immediate benefit Netanyahu who would remain caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed.