Tel Aviv | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc was leading the opposition in Israel's parliamentary election, with partial results indicating 55 seats for the ruling camp against 49 for the bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, as counting continued on Wednesday.

With 57.3 per cent of ballot boxes counted by 8 am local time (11.30 am IST), the Arab-led parties were projected to secure 16 seats, according to partial results published by the Central Elections Committee.

The figures are provisional and could change as counting progresses.

Votes cast through double envelopes, including ballots by soldiers and other eligible voters unable to vote at their designated polling stations, are counted separately after checks to ensure that voters have not cast more than one ballot.

The partial count differs from exit polls released after voting ended on Tuesday, which generally indicated a narrow lead for the opposition bloc but showed neither side close to the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Three major broadcasters - Channel 13, Channel 12 and public broadcaster Kan - had projected varying results, with the opposition bloc estimated to win around 51-53 seats and Netanyahu's camp around 50-52. A separate i24NEWS exit poll had given Netanyahu's bloc 55 seats against 49 for Eisenkot's bloc.

US President Donald Trump claimed that his endorsement of Netanyahu had helped the Israeli prime minister recover support during the election campaign.

"When President Trump endorsed Bibi Netanyahu, the whole tide turned, and now, rather than a decisive defeat for a Great Prime Minister, it looks like a big come-from-behind stalemate, or even a WIN for Netanyahu. It all took place AFTER the Endorsement by President Trump, who only wants what is good for the Middle East, Israel, and the United States of America!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, sharing a statement signed by one Irving C Schwartz.

The post did not establish that Trump's endorsement had changed voting behaviour, and no independently verified information was available to establish Schwartz's identity or credentials.

Netanyahu's Likud party was projected to emerge as the largest individual party in the exit polls, even as some initial projections gave the opposition bloc a narrow lead over the ruling camp.

Neither side is assured of the 61 seats needed to form a government, leaving the outcome dependent on the final seat tally and negotiations with smaller parties.

Eisenkot has said he would move quickly to form an alternative government, while opposition parties have argued that the election offers an opportunity to replace Netanyahu.

Likud ally Gideon Sa'ar cautioned against treating the exit polls as a decisive opposition victory, pointing to projections that showed Likud emerging as the largest party.

Arab-led parties could play a significant role in government formation if the main blocs remain short of a majority.

Their combined strength was estimated at 16-18 seats in the exit polls, depending on the broadcaster.

Although Arab-led parties have rarely joined Israeli governing coalitions, the Ra'am party participated in the government formed in 2021.

Some Israeli analysts have suggested that Netanyahu could face difficulty assembling a viable majority.

One possible scenario would be for him to wait and see whether an opposition-led government could be formed and sustained, rather than risk an unsuccessful attempt to assemble a coalition himself.

A national unity government involving Netanyahu and Eisenkot also appears difficult because of differences between the rival leaders.

Under Israel's proportional representation system, voters elect closed party lists, with the entire country treated as a single constituency.

After the official results are published, President Isaac Herzog will consult representatives of the elected parliamentary factions before assigning a lawmaker the task of forming a government.

The president generally selects the candidate considered best placed to secure parliamentary support, rather than being required to choose the leader of the largest party.

The first nominee has 28 days to form a government, with the president able to grant extensions of up to 14 additional days. If the attempt fails, another lawmaker may be given an opportunity. If subsequent efforts also fail, the process could lead to another election.