Tel Aviv:Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down from politics, asserting that the electorate has rejected his leadership and cautioning him against exploiting Israel's security for political purposes.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Eisenkot addressed his supporters early Wednesday at the Yashar party's headquarters, emphasizing that Israelis had voted for change. He committed to collaborating with his allies to form a government that represents all segments of society.

Eisenkot stressed the importance of avoiding another election and emphasized his commitment to fulfilling the public's will. He acknowledged that final election results were still pending but noted that Netanyahu was facing a stronger 'Zionist majority' opposing his continued governance.

Directly addressing Netanyahu, Eisenkot warned him against using Israel's security for political purposes and appealed to security chiefs to remember their duty to serve the citizens of Israel, urging them to resist any undue pressure.

Eisenkot declared an end to the era of division and incitement, pledging to establish a Zionist government with a focus on military conscription. The speech followed exit poll results from Channel 13, indicating parity between Netanyahu's bloc and Eisenkot's opposition, each securing 51 seats, with Arab parties holding 18 seats in the Knesset.

Earlier projections from Channel 12 showed Eisenkot's bloc with 52 seats, Netanyahu's with 50, and 18 for Arab parties, with neither bloc achieving the 61-seat majority necessary in the 120-seat Knesset. Channel 12 also reported that President Isaac Herzog might task Eisenkot with forming the next government, contingent on official results and recommendations from parliamentary parties.

The Central Elections Committee reported a voter turnout of 77.7%, the highest since 1999, and a 7.1 percentage point increase from the 2022 election. Vote counting commenced after polls closed at 10 pm local time on Tuesday, with official results anticipated on November 4.