Full Breakdown
Eisenkot’s 18-Month Promise to End Hamas Rule and Its Election Fallout
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Eisenkot’s 18-Month Plan to Dismantle Hamas
Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar! party, said the outcome could be achieved either through the diplomatic framework proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump—accepted by the current government—or by direct military action.
Background & Context
The pledge comes three years after the October 7 2023 Hamas attack that triggered Israel’s war in Gaza. Eisenkot, who served in the war cabinet after that attack and left the government in June 2024, argues that Israel’s battlefield successes have not translated into the strategic goal of removing Hamas’s governing authority. He linked Hamas’s persistence to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, asserting that “as long as Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power, Hamas will remain in power.”
Data & Statistics
- A poll released by public broadcaster KAN on 12 October 2026 projected Yashar! at 22 seats in the 120-member Knesset, versus Likud’s 20 seats.
- The same poll gave Eisenkot 43 % personal support, ahead of Netanyahu’s 38 %.
- Arab parties are projected to win a combined 13 seats (Joint List 8, United Arab List 5).
- Both blocs are likely short of the 61-seat majority needed to form a government.
Official Statements & Responses
- President Isaac Herzog’s office denied reports of post-election unity talks with Eisenkot, saying any coalition considerations would occur only after the results.
- Eisenkot reiterated he would not join a government that includes parties refusing to label Hamas a terrorist organization, explicitly excluding the Joint List and United Arab List.
Verbatim Quotes
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Polls differ on Eisenkot’s lead: Channel 12 shows a 10-point advantage, while the KAN poll places his personal support at 43 % versus Netanyahu’s 38 %.
- Seat projections for the opposition bloc vary; some analyses estimate a combined 52-53 seats, others suggest a decline to around 50 seats. No definitive tally is available.
What’s Next
- The election is scheduled for October 27 2026.
- If no bloc reaches the 61-seat threshold, the president will consult party leaders to appoint a Knesset member to form a government, potentially leading to a minority administration or a repeat election.
- Eisenkot has indicated a willingness to pursue a minority government supported by a Zionist parliamentary majority rather than a unity arrangement with Netanyahu.
- Opposition leaders have signaled readiness to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana immediately after the vote, should a new coalition emerge.
The coming weeks will determine whether Eisenkot’s 18-month timetable becomes a governing mandate or remains a campaign promise amid Israel’s fragmented parliamentary landscape.