Egypt Daily News – A small group of reservists from Israel’s elite military intelligence unit has joined a call for the immediate return of hostages from Gaza, even if it requires ending the war. This marks a growing protest movement following more than 18 months of conflict.
The open letter, signed by over 250 individuals, argues that the war is now primarily serving political and personal interests rather than security concerns.
“The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of the stated objectives and will lead to the deaths of hostages, IDF soldiers, and innocents,” the letter states. The protest, penned by reservists and retirees from Unit 8200—Israel’s largest military intelligence unit—also criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to defeat Hamas and secure the release of the remaining 59 hostages in Gaza.
To remain in power, Netanyahu relies on coalition support from far-right parties, some of which have threatened to leave the government if the war ends.
“The government has failed to take responsibility for the catastrophe and refuses to acknowledge that it has no plan or solution for the crisis,” the letter continues. “We join the air crews’ call to all Israeli citizens to act and demand the return of the hostages and an end to the fighting.” This public protest follows a similar letter published the previous day by hundreds of air force retirees and reservists.
Israel, with a relatively small standing military, heavily depends on its reserve forces during prolonged conflicts. A growing protest within the reserves could potentially impact Israel’s ability to continue its campaign in Gaza. While the letters criticize the war’s continuation, the signatories have not refused to serve.
Within hours of the letter’s release, the Israeli military announced that it had dismissed the air force reservists who had signed it and was investigating further. An IDF official noted that most signatories are not active reservists.
The commander of the Israel Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, criticized the letter, saying it undermined trust and cohesion within the force. “Such a publication has no place during wartime, as IDF soldiers and commanders are risking their lives,” he wrote.
Prime Minister Netanyahu also condemned the letter, attempting to portray the signatories as a small minority. “These letters are written by a small group of bad apples, operated by organizations funded by foreign money, with the goal of toppling the right-wing government,” he said, offering no evidence of foreign influence.
Despite this, Netanyahu acknowledged the protest letters are coming from various branches of the military, including a potential letter from the navy. He tried to downplay their significance, saying: “This is not a trend. It’s a small group of retired personnel, loud, anarchist, and disconnected.”
This crackdown on the public protest appears to be aimed at quelling discontent among reservists and preventing a repeat of 2023, when many reservists declared they would refuse to serve in protest of Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul efforts. Although most of those reservists eventually answered call-ups after Israel’s October 7 attack, the wartime unity is beginning to weaken as the war continues.
