Israel's former army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot has promised to end Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip within 18 months if he becomes prime minister.
Eisenkot, the main rival to long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accused him of failing to achieve Israel's war aims three years after Hamas' October 7 massacre.
Threats on all fronts are ongoing, Eisenkot told journalists on Thursday.
Speaking near the border with the Gaza Strip, the 66-year-old leader of the centrist Yashar party recalled his son and two of his nephews who were killed in the Gazan war.
"I pledge that within 18 months of entering the prime minister's office, Hamas will no longer rule the Gaza Strip," Eisenkot said, according to the Israeli news portal Ynet.
Eisenkot said he would achieve the goal either through US President Donald Trump's peace plan, which Netanyahu's government accepted, or through military and operational capabilities "that will lead to the destruction of Hamas' military wing. I know how to do that," said Eisenkot, who served as Israel's military chief from 2015 to 2019.
He argued that as long as Netanyahu was in power, Hamas would also remain in power.
"Three years after October 7, Hamas is still the ruler in the Gaza Strip," he added.
Netanyahu's conservative Likud party responded with a mocking question to Eisenkot: "How do you want to topple Hamas without the permission of your partners Mansour and Tibi?"
The remark referred to Arab MPs Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi.
According to opinion polls, neither Netanyahu's camp nor the opposition can expect an absolute majority in the October 27 election.
Arab parties could therefore play a key role in determining the makeup of the next government.
Several Jewish parties, including some in the opposition, have nevertheless ruled out forming a coalition with them.
Netanyahu had repeatedly promised an "absolute victory" over the Islamist militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip war.
But it still controls about half of the coastal strip and, according to media reports, is recruiting new fighters.
with EFE