Both blocs fall short of the 61 seats needed to form a government in initial forecasts as support for Palestinian parties surges

• Full report: Coalition talks loom as Israel exit polls suggest Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs tied

• Analysis: Rise of Palestinian parties in Knesset will redraw Israel’s political landscape

• Israel election: what we know so far

One apparent loser from Tuesday’s election was far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was expected to better his party’s result of six seats from the 2022 elections.

But instead there was stunned silence at the watch party for Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) in central Israel as results from the exit polls flashed across the screen, with most channels suggesting the party would remain on just six seats.