Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eizenkot pledges to dismantle Hamas within 18 months

Israeli opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eizenkot, who heads the center-right Yashar party, announced on October 15, 2026, his commitment to ending Hamas's governance in the Gaza Strip within 18 months of taking office. This pledge was made during a press conference near the border with the war-torn territory, just 12 days before the national parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27.

Eizenkot outlined a two-pronged strategy to achieve this objective. He stated he would either implement the Gaza plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which focuses on the gradual disarmament of Hamas and the transition of power to an interim governing body, or execute "creative military operations" specifically aimed at destroying the group's armed wing. He further accused current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to address the security challenges effectively.

As the election campaign intensifies, Eizenkot's rhetoric highlights the central role of the Gaza conflict in the upcoming vote. The electorate will decide on October 27 which leadership path they prefer for the future of the region.