Around 250 reservists from Israel’s occupation Unit 8200 have come out in support of Israeli Air Force pilots who recently called for an end to the war on Gaza, reports the Middle East Monitor.
In a letter shared with Israeli media, the reservists said they “join the call of the aircrews in demanding the immediate return of the hostages, even at the cost of an immediate change in the conduct of the war.”
“We identify with the assertion that at this point, the war primarily serves political and personal interests rather than security ones,” the letter read, according to Haaretz. “Continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals and will bring the death of the hostages, IDF soldiers and innocent people.”
The letter adds to growing dissent within Israel’s military ranks. In recent days, groups of reservist doctors and navy veterans have issued similar appeals, warning that the government’s current war strategy endangers both the captives and Israeli troops, and urging urgent efforts to secure their release.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz “strongly” criticised the letter as an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the war.
Israeli media reported that some of the letter’s signatories included 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.
They called on “all citizens of Israel” to demand, everywhere and by all means, a halt to the war to return the prisoners.
According to the army, ten percent of the signatories of the letter are active reserve soldiers, most of whom are volunteers while the rest are former or retired soldiers.
