Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz delivered a special statement on Motzei Shabbos announcing that he is staying in the race, despite polls showing his party failing to cross the electoral threshold.

“I’m running until the end. Whoever votes for me is voting for unity, not for blocs,” Gantz said.

The announcement comes amid concern in the Eisenkot-Bennett bloc that Gantz will cost them a victory by sending votes to waste.

“We are on the way to disaster. We must stop and save the country,” Gantz said. “The politicians from both blocs oppose the unity I am advancing with my heart’s blood. They want a decisive outcome. The rift serves them politically. They are leading Israel to more elections, to narrow governments that will tear us apart from within, that will cause our enemies to attack us again.”

He continued: “I have decided not to surrender to our enemies. In order to fight our enemies, I must fight for the unity among us, and that is why I am running until the end.”

Gantz also appealed directly to undecided supporters. “There are at least six seats’ worth of voters who want to vote for us. To you I say: you are not alone. Vote, and we will save the country.”

Blue and White will run a broad campaign until election day under the slogan “Choosing Unity, Saving the Country.” The campaign is meant to stress to voters that there is no solution other than unity, and that Blue and White is the only party on the political map committed to it.