Israeli army vows to fire reservists who signed letter condemning war

The Israeli military says it will fire any Air Force reservists that signed an open letter condemning the war in Gaza for serving political interests instead of rescuing the hostages, an army official warned Friday.

Close to 1,000 reservists and retired members of the Air Force signed the letter, which was published as an ad in Israeli newspapers this week.

Most of the signatures came from army veterans, according to the Times of Israel, though 60 reservists are likely to be kicked out of the force.

The letter demanded the immediate return of the hostages, even at the cost of ending the war.

“The continuation of the war doesn’t advance any of the declared goals of the war, and will bring about the deaths of the hostages, of IDF soldiers and innocent civilians,” reads the letter.

“As has been proven in the past, only an agreement can return hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers,” it added.

About 250 Israeli hostages were captured by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. More than a year and a half later, an estimated 59 are still being held, with only 24 believed to still be alive.

An army official said there was no room for anyone to use the “Israeli Air Force brand” for political protests and “to exploit their military status while simultaneously participating in the fighting,” calling the letter a breach of trust.

The letter is the latest instance in a growing number of Israeli soldiers speaking out against the protracted war.

Israel has doubled its foothold in the Gaza Strip, with its military now controlling more than 50% of the enclave since restarting the war against Hamas last month following a short ceasefire.

With wires