Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff, has promised to end Hamas’s control of the Gaza Strip within 18 months of becoming prime minister. He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to deliver on his stated war objectives, nearly three years after the October 7 massacre.

“Within 18 months of taking office as prime minister, Hamas will no longer rule the Gaza Strip. We will bring about the destruction of Hamas’s military wing,” Eisenkot declares in a campaign statement delivered near the Gaza border.

Eisenkot says his government would pursue that goal either by implementing US President Donald Trump’s proposed framework for Gaza’s demilitarization and reconstruction, which the Netanyahu government has accepted, or by launching military operations.

Despite three years of fighting, Hamas continues to control approximately one-third of Gaza and retains military capabilities. Israel, meanwhile, holds more than 60% of the territory, according to IDF figures released in June.

“As long as Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power, Hamas will remain in power,” Eisenkot asserts. He accuses Netanyahu of wasting an unprecedented level of domestic and international support for military action while allowing Hamas to maintain its grip on Gaza and restore its military strength.

The Likud party responds with a pointed question: “How will you defeat Hamas without getting permission from your partners Mansour [Abbas] and [Ahmad] Tibi?” The remark refers to the leaders of Ra’am and Ta’al, two parties representing predominantly Arab voters.

With Netanyahu’s political bloc lacking a clear route to securing a governing majority, Likud has made the possibility of an Eisenkot-led government depending on Arab parties a major campaign issue. This criticism continues despite most parties aligned with Eisenkot rejecting such a partnership. Eisenkot has also stated that no Arab party currently satisfies his requirements for joining a coalition.

Yashar responds by accusing Netanyahu and Likud of helping Hamas grow stronger over the years. “For 17 years, Netanyahu and Likud have been deceiving Israeli citizens and strengthening Hamas,” the party says. “If you had focused a little more on your job and a little less on drafting talking points, perhaps October 7 could have been prevented.”