Netanyahu's main rival vows to defeat Hamas within 18 months if elected PM

Israeli opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot, the main challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, pledged on Thursday to eradicate Hamas from Gaza within 18 months if elected Prime Minister. Addressing reporters near the war-torn Palestinian territory, Eisenkot, leader of the center-right Yeshat party, stated he would accomplish this goal through either the implementation of the US President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan, which involves the gradual disarmament of Hamas and a transfer of power, or through Israel's military "creative operations" to destroy the movement's military wing.

Meanwhile, Israel's army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir disclosed on Wednesday that the military was beefing up troop levels across all fronts due to heightened concerns of escalation as the country approaches the elections scheduled for October 27. Zamir attributed the increased risk of conflict to the election period, noting that Netanyahu is facing a tough race to retain power in the polls.

In response to the heightened number of alerts across all military fronts and the heightened sensitivity of this political period, Zamir informed that the military had elevated its readiness level, preparing for potential surprise attacks.