Israel election results live: exit polls point to tie between Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs

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

• Full report: Israel election too close to call as exit polls give Netanyahu bloc slightly fewer seats

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

• Israel election: what we know so far

While the count continues, let’s recap some of the comments made by Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Gadi Eisenkot in their speeches to supporters.

Netanyahu greeted cheering supporters at a Jerusalem convention centre after 3am. The 77-year-old prime minister was unusually brief and did not directly claim victory. He called for a “strong government of the right” and said that the “Jewish and Zionist majority must unite”.