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Israel Election: Likud Gains Seat as Double Envelope Votes Counted

Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba

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Israel's Central Election Committee is continuing to count votes from "double envelopes" for the 26th Knesset elections, with approximately 97.3% of ballots processed by Thursday afternoon. Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party gained a 27th seat from Shas, but the overall bloc distribution remained unchanged, with neither major bloc securing a parliamentary majority. The counting of these special ballots is expected to conclude by Friday, with final results due by November 4, 2026.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Likud gained a 27th seat from Shas as "double envelope" votes were counted in Israel's Knesset elections.
Neither Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc (53 seats) nor the opposition bloc (48 seats) secured a majority.
The counting of special ballots cast by soldiers, patients, and others is ongoing and expected to finish by Friday.
Two parties, "Miluimnikim ve-Kalkalit" and "Amcha Israel," remained below the electoral threshold.
Final official results for the 26th Knesset elections are due by November 4, 2026.

Israel Election: Likud Gains Seat as Double Envelope Votes Counted — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Israel's Central Election Committee continued counting votes from "double envelopes" on Thursday, October 29, for the 26th Knesset elections. Approximately 97.3% of all votes had been processed by 3:05 PM. A shift occurred in the preliminary seat distribution, with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party gaining a 27th mandate at the expense of the Shas party, which was reduced to six seats. The overall bloc distribution remained unchanged. Votes from double envelopes, cast by soldiers, hospital patients, prisoners, and diplomats, are being counted separately. Preliminary estimates suggest between 430,000 and 480,000 such ballots were cast.

As of Thursday afternoon, the bloc supporting Netanyahu was projected to receive 53 seats, the opposition agreement parties led by Gadi Eisenkot were set to get 48, and two Arab parties were allocated 19 seats. This leaves neither major bloc with the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority. The Likud's gain of one seat from Shas was the only change within the Netanyahu bloc.

Several parties remained below the 3.25% electoral threshold. Notably, Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelicha's "Miluimnikim ve-Kalkalit" party had received 148,553 votes (2.69%) and was still short of the threshold by over 30,000 votes. The "Amcha Israel" party was also below the threshold.

The counting of double envelope votes, which began on election day, October 27, is expected to continue into Friday. The final seat allocation will be determined once all votes are tallied. Official election results are due by November 4, 2026.