Ex-Israeli army chief Gadi Eisenkot's bloc leads Netanyahu in deadlocked election
The gist
Exit polls after Israel's October 27 election showed no clear winner, with Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc slightly ahead of Netanyahu's.
Both camps fell about 10 seats short of a 61-seat majority, leaving coalition talks decisive.
How it unfolded
- Dec 2023Eisenkot's youngest son Gal, 25, was killed fighting in Gaza two months into the war; two of his nephews also died in combat.
- Apr 2026Eisenkot wrote in Yedioth Ahronoth that over Gal's grave he swore the price he paid would not be in vain.
- Oct 22, 2026An N12 News poll put Eisenkot's Yashar first with 23 seats, down one; a Channel 13 poll at the same time also ranked Yashar first with 20.