Netanyahu's bloc leads with 50 percent of the votes counted in the Israeli election

As of Wednesday morning, with over 55% of votes counted, Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition leads in the Israeli elections, contrary to exit polls predicting an opposition victory. Netanyahu's bloc is projected to secure 56 seats, while the anti-Netanyahu coalition is expected to gain 49 seats, and Arab parties could achieve their best results with 15 seats. Voter turnout reached 77.7%, the highest since 1999. Both Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot refrained from declaring victory. The final results may take until Thursday, as military and mail-in votes are still being counted. This election follows the October 7 Hamas attack, marking a significant moment in Israeli politics, potentially ending Netanyahu's long tenure.