Israelis go to the polls to define Parliament and government

Over seven million voters in Israel are casting their ballots today to elect a new Parliament, with polls opening at 7 AM local time. The elections are deemed crucial for the country's political future, featuring over thirty parties, though only about a third are expected to surpass the electoral threshold. The main contenders are current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot from the Yashar party. As is customary in Israel, forming a government coalition is anticipated to be challenging. The polls will close at 10 PM local time.