Eisenkot pledges Hamas will not rule Gaza within 18 months

Gadi Eisenkot, a leading challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pledged that Hamas would no longer rule Gaza within 18 months if he becomes prime minister, making the promise a central part of his campaign ahead of Israel’s October 27 election. Eisenkot, a former chief of Israel’s military, made the commitment at a press conference near Gaza on Thursday. He said he would pursue the goal through U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza or through Israeli military and operational action aimed at Hamas’s military wing. His statement describes a campaign pledge, not an outcome already achieved. The candidates have also clashed over Palestinian statehood. Eisenkot has publicly opposed establishing a Palestinian state and accused Netanyahu of having voiced support for a two-state solution in the past. Netanyahu, in turn, has warned voters that a government led by Eisenkot would establish a Palestinian state. Both men have used the issue in campaign statements and social-media posts. Netanyahu’s Likud party challenged Eisenkot’s ability to carry out his Gaza plan, asking how he could topple Hamas without the support of potential Arab political partners. The exchange...