The Israeli media reports that hundreds of reserve soldiers in Intelligence Unit 8200, in addition to 2,000 professors, have joined the protest petition demanding an end to the Iraeli war on Gaza according to Jordan 24.
Israel’s Channel 12 quoted a statement by Israeli academics in higher education institutions as saying that an agreement is the only solution to return the prisoners being held in Gaza. They stressed that Israeli military pressure will only lead to their deaths.
They point out that the current war only serves political and personal interests rather than security interests.
In turn, Israel’s Channel 13 reported that members of Intelligence Unit 8200 warned in their petition that the continuation of the war is causing the deaths of soldiers and prisoners. It expressed great concern about the increasing cases of refusal to serve among reservists.
Army Radio also reported that about 100 military doctors from the Israeli reserve forces signed the petition calling for an end to the war on Gaza.
On Thursday, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir approved the decision to dismiss senior commanders and approximately 1,000 reservists from the service who signed the petition saying they wouldn’t serve in the air force if the Israeli war on Gaza doesn’t stop.
Zamir emphasized the soldiers’ signing of the petition is a serious matter, noting that conscripts at military bases cannot sign petitions against the war and then return to service.
970 current and former reservists in the Air Force published a letter calling for the return of all Israeli prisoners from Gaza, even at the cost of ending the war that has been ongoing for more than a year and a half.
According to the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority, this letter has sparked a storm within the upper echelons of the Air Force.
Defense Minister Yisrael Katz strongly rejected the letter from the Air Force reservists, considering it an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the war, which he described as “just.”
Among the signatories to the letter were former Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. (res.) Dan Halutz, former Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. (res.) Nimrod Sheffer, and former head of the Civil Aviation Authority, Col. (res.) Neri Yarkoni.
These soldiers’ letter has been featured in all Israeli media outlets, including the Israel Broadcasting Authority, at a time when Israel, with American support, has continued its war of genocide in Gaza since 7 October, 2023.
“We, the fighters of the air force, both reserve and retired, demand the return of the abducted (Israeli prisoners) to their homes without delay, even at the cost of an immediate cessation of hostilities,” meaning the war.
The Israeli military did not rule out the possibility of dozens of active reserve soldiers joining the signatories of the letter, which calls for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing for more than 18 months.
Israel estimates that there are 59 prisoners being held in the Gaza Strip, 24 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 9,500 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.
CrossFireArabia
