Israeli opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot said on Thursday that Hamas would no longer rule the Gaza Strip within 18 months if he wins a majority in the upcoming election and becomes prime minister. Speaking at a press conference near the war-torn Palestinian territory, Eisenkot described the deadline as a public commitment and tied the start of the 18-month period to his entry into office.
A conditional pledge tied to the election
Eisenkot’s statement was conditional: he said he would pursue the end of Hamas rule if he won the election and took power. The deadline he set was not measured from the day of the press conference or from the election itself. Instead, he said the 18 months would begin when he entered the prime minister’s office.
The distinction places the pledge within a specific political timeline. Eisenkot did not present it as an immediate change in Gaza’s leadership, but as an outcome he says could be achieved during the first 18 months of a government led by him. His statement therefore linked the proposed change in the Strip’s rule to both an election victory and his subsequent assumption of office.
Eisenkot made the announcement while speaking near Gaza, describing it as a public commitment. The setting placed his remarks close to the territory at the centre of the pledge. His central message was that Hamas would not remain in control after the stated period if he became prime minister.
Political challenge to Netanyahu
Eisenkot is an Israeli opposition figure and a centre-right politician described as a main rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His pledge sets out a clear point of contrast for voters: he is promising a defined deadline for ending Hamas rule if he wins a majority and forms a government.
The statement also puts the issue of who governs Gaza at the centre of his election message. Rather than offering an open-ended objective, Eisenkot named an 18-month period and connected it to the start of his premiership. That gives the pledge a measurable time frame, although it remains dependent on the result of the upcoming election and his ability to take office.
Deadline announced, outcome still conditional
The pledge does not change the current situation by itself. Eisenkot spoke as an opposition politician, and the proposed deadline would apply only if he wins power. Until that condition is met, the announcement remains a campaign commitment rather than a government decision.
His remarks made the intended outcome and timing clear: Hamas should no longer rule Gaza within 18 months of his entering the prime minister’s office. The statement, however, does not guarantee that the pledge will be fulfilled. Its implementation would depend on the political circumstances following the election and on the actions of a government led by Eisenkot.
For now, the announcement places a firm time limit on Eisenkot’s stated goal while leaving its realization contingent on voters’ choices. He presented the commitment near Gaza on Thursday, framing the end of Hamas rule as a priority he would pursue if he becomes Israel’s next prime minister.
