Gadi Eisenkot leads trader assessments for Israel's next prime minister because recent polls show his Yashar party frequently edging Likud in projected Knesset seats while he holds a consistent advantage over Benjamin Netanyahu in head-to-head suitability questions. Eisenkot's profile as a former IDF chief of staff, his hawkish security record, and public emphasis on his family's losses in the Gaza conflict have boosted his independent centrist-right appeal ahead of the October 27 election. Netanyahu's bloc trails in most averages amid voter fatigue after multiple terms and security controversies, though his coalition partners remain unified. Naftali Bennett's Together list trails further behind, limiting his path despite past experience. The closely divided projected blocs leave coalition arithmetic decisive, with opposition unity pledges and threshold risks for smaller parties adding uncertainty to final outcomes.