Ex-IDF Chief Eisenkot Vows to Dismantle Hamas Rule in Gaza Within 18 Months

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party and former IDF Chief of Staff, declared on Thursday from the Gaza border that he would end Hamas's rule in the Strip and destroy its military wing within 18 months of entering the Prime Minister's office. Eisenkot stated this goal could be achieved through military operations or by implementing the Trump plan, which the current government has approved. He also sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of strategic failure and asserting that "as long as Netanyahu is in power, Hamas will remain in power." Eisenkot derided Netanyahu's election campaign slogan, "The man who hangs signs saying 'I will not surrender' is the first to surrender: to draft dodgers, his coalition partners, and Hamas." Eisenkot claimed that despite broad legitimacy and maneuvering room granted to the government, Hamas remains sovereign in Gaza three years after the October 7th massacre and continues to rebuild its strength. He highlighted a perceived gap between the achievements of soldiers on the ground in Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, and Netanyahu's failure to meet the war aims he himself defined. Eisenkot called for a new national strategy and a state inquiry commission into the October 7th events, emphasizing the urgent security need for lessons learned and asserting his own qualifications to lead the security branches. The ruling Likud party responded swiftly, questioning Eisenkot's plan by asking, "How will you dismantle Hamas without getting permission from your partners Mansour and Tibi?"