By early afternoon almost 45% of voters had cast their ballot

• What you need to know about Israel’s election

Across Israel, voting is now under way. Here are some of the latest images being sent to us over the newswires:

Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad have flown in for the elections, according to Aid Coalition, a US-based nonprofit focused on strengthening Israel’s democracy. Israeli law generally requires citizens to vote in person in the country, with narrow exceptions for diplomats and certain official emissaries abroad.