Record turnout in Israel's election

Voter turnout by 4 pm in Israel's national election held on Tuesday was the highest since 1973.

According to the Central Elections Committee, about 55.7 percent of voters had cast their ballots by 4 pm local time. Committee data shows turnout at the same hour in the 2022 election was only about 47.5 percent.

More than 4 million citizens had already exercised their voting rights by 4 pm. More than 7 million voters are eligible to vote in the election.

This is the first general election since the Gaza war began following the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a strong challenge from an opposition bloc led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot.

Mansour Abbas, leader of the Islamist Ra'am party, said Arab community votes could bring about a change of government.

Netanyahu's Likud party had applied to the committee to extend voting hours but did not give a clear reason for the request. The Shas and Otzma Yehudit parties supported the application. Eisenkot's Yashar party, however, opposed it, saying there was no unusual situation requiring an extension.

The committee said voting would be allowed until 10 pm without extending the hours. The Knesset, Israel's parliament, has 120 seats, and no single party has so far won a clear majority there.