Tel Aviv - The hardline Likud party of former premier Benjamin Netanyahu has gained significantly against Israel's ruling centrist Kadima party and would win if elections were held today, according to two polls published Thursday.

Both polls, published by the Ha'aretz and Yediot Ahronot dailies, said the Likud had opened a lead of six mandates against Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's Kadima.

The Ha'aretz poll predicted the Likud winning 34 mandates in the 120-seat Knesset, against 28 mandates for Kadima, while the Yediot poll indicated the Likud would get 32 mandates against 26 for Kadima.

Both polls showed the left-to-centre Labour Party of Defence Minister Ehud Barak losing about half its representation in the Knesset and obtain either only 10 or eight mandates.

Polls published little more than three weeks ago gave Kadima a narrow edge over the Likud, and gave Kadima 31-29 mandates against 29-26 for the Likud.

Wednesday's polls came after Netanyahu announced last week that two high-profile politicians, the hawkish son of former Israeli premier Menahem Begin and a former justice minister, were joining the Likud.

They also came amid renewed violence in the Gaza Strip.

The Yediot poll questioned some 500 adult Israelis and had a margin of error of 4.6 per cent, while the Ha'aretz poll questioned 488 people and had a margin of error of 4.5 per cent. (dpa)