Jerusalem:Initial results from Israel’s elections indicate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc is leading with 53 seats. These results exclude ballots submitted in double envelopes. In comparison, the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot has secured 48 seats, while Arab parties have won a total of 19 seats.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, at the party level, Netanyahu’s Likud has secured 26 seats, whereas Eisenkot’s Yashar party has won 21 seats. Additionally, the Joint List and Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party have each secured 12 seats, with the Democrats winning eight seats.

Yisrael Beiteinu, the United Arab List (Ra’am), United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, and Shas have each won seven seats. The Religious Zionism list has secured six seats. Amid these developments, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has called for efforts to be made to avoid another round of elections.