Israelis headed to the polls on Tuesday to elect Knesset members in an election witnessing competition between Netanyahu's camp and his political opponents, amid expectations that neither camp will secure a majority enabling it to form a government on its own.
Netanyahu seeks to continue serving as prime minister after many years in the post, despite standing trial in corruption cases.
His Likud party is contesting the election as part of a far-right alliance, facing an opposition camp led by Jewish parties, including a bloc headed by former chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.
Data indicate that finalizing the election results alone will not be enough to determine the identity of the next government, as any camp needs to secure at least 61 seats out of 120 in the Knesset to form a governing coalition, making political alliances a key factor in determining the course of consultations after the results are announced.
Under the Israeli electoral system, seats are distributed among lists according to the proportion of votes they receive, with lists that do not pass the threshold excluded. If forming a government enjoying majority support proves impossible, new elections can be held.
According to the Israeli Central Elections Committee, about 7.3 million people aged 18 and over are eligible to vote.
Most polling stations began receiving voters at 7 a.m., with voting continuing until 10 p.m., allowing those waiting in lines at closing time to cast their ballots.
