The Israeli army has sacked 1,000 Air Force reservists who signed a letter calling for an end to the war in Gaza so that hostages still be held could be released.
The Israeli army renewed a deadly assault on Gaza on March 18 and has since killed nearly 1,500 victims, injured 3,700 others, and shattered the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that was signed in January.
Israel estimates that 59 hostages are still held in Gaza, with at least 22 of them alive.
They were expected to be set free in a second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which would require Israel to fully withdraw its forces from Gaza and end the war permanently.
The letter called for the “immediate return” of Israeli captives from Gaza, saying that the current war is going on for “political and personal interests.”
“Only an agreement can return hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers,” the reservists said, calling on Israelis “to mobilize for action.”
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin denounced the reservists and backed the Military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir’s decision to dismiss them from service.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister “backs the decision” of the defence minister and the Israeli military chief of staff “to dismiss those who signed the letter”.
