“Israeli soldiers are speaking out against the Gaza war, pressure is mounting on Netanyahu”

There is no sign of Israel’s war in Gaza ending. At the same time, opposition to this war continues to grow steadily.

Thousands of reserve soldiers from all branches of the Israeli military have sent letters to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in recent weeks demanding an end to the war. They have called for an agreement to free the remaining 59 hostages held by Hamas instead of continuing the war.

Eighteen months ago, very few Israelis doubted the legitimacy of this war, which was presented as necessary to defeat the Palestinian independence organization Hamas and free the hostages.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last January and the release of more than 30 hostages had given many people hope that the war might end soon.

But that hope was shattered after Israel broke the ceasefire in mid-March and resumed devastating attacks on Gaza.

Former Mossad chief Danny Yatom says, “We have come to the conclusion that Israel is heading toward a very bad situation. We understand that Netanyahu is primarily concerned with his own interests. Hostages are not on his list of priorities; rather, his interest is in maintaining stability for himself and his government.”

“In the first open letter sent to the Israeli government, published in early April, one thousand reserve soldiers and retired members of the air force had signed.”

Many of those who have signed recent letters to the government, like Yatom, have been critics of Netanyahu for a long time. Some also participated in anti-government movements after Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023.

Danny Yatom says, “I signed the letter and I’m participating in this protest not for political reasons, but for national interest. I am extremely concerned that my country is about to lose its way.”

In the first open letter sent to the Israeli government, published in early April, one thousand reserve soldiers and retired members of the air force had signed.

In the letter, these soldiers wrote: “Continuing the war is not contributing to the implementation of any of the government’s declared objectives; rather, it is pushing the hostages toward death.”The signatories of the letter have called on other Israelis to follow their lead. This is because time is running out to save the lives of the 24 hostages still surviving in Gaza. They say, “Each new day pushes their lives into new danger. In this situation, every hesitant moment is shameful for us.”

In the following weeks, soldiers from nearly every branch—even special forces and intelligence units—issued open letters. In total, the number of signatories to these letters has exceeded 12,000.

After October 7, 2023, thousands of Israeli reserve soldiers had responded to the Netanyahu government’s call. But now, even more soldiers are rejecting this call.

Various reports have stated that Israel’s reserve force has dropped to 50-60 percent of its original strength. This is becoming a major crisis for the country’s military because armies heavily depend on reserve soldiers during wartime. Such a crisis has not been seen since Israel’s first Lebanon War in 1982.

Yoav (pseudonym), a reserve soldier in the infantry, joined the Gaza war last summer. He has stated that he will not return there.

Yoav says: “I felt like I was going to help my brothers and sisters. I believed I was doing something good—difficult but good. Yet now I don’t see it that way.”

Yoav says that the government’s firm determination to continue fighting against Hamas while keeping hostages at risk of death in Gaza’s tunnels is leading it down the wrong path. He further states, “We are very powerful and can defeat Hamas. But the issue isn’t about defeating Hamas, the issue is—we are losing our country.”

“Many of those who have signed recent letters to the government, like Danny Yatom, have been critics of Netanyahu for a long time. Some have also participated in anti-government movements after Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023.”

Yoav says that while fighting in Gaza, he tried to fulfill his duties as an ethical soldier.

But critics of Israel say that as the war drags on, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for Israel to claim that their military is the most ethical army in the world.

In a recent column published in the liberal left-wing newspaper Haaretz, retired General Amiram Levin said it’s time for soldiers, including high-ranking commanders, to consider disobeying orders.

Amiram Levin wrote: “The risk of becoming involved in war crimes and the impact on the Israeli Defense Forces and our social values make it almost impossible to remain silent.”

However, some critics, who have filed cases against the country in the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, claim that Israel has already crossed this line.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has harshly attacked these critics. Dismissing their concerns, he called them “propaganda lies.” He further stated that these claims are being spread by disorganized and disconnected groups of pensioners. Most of them (reserve soldiers) haven’t been in the military for many years.

However, opinion polls indicate that these letters reflect growing public sentiment. Most Israelis believe that freeing the remaining hostages should now be the top priority.

Anti-war protests have been ongoing in Tel Aviv for more than a year. There, protesters are demonstrating by displaying pictures of hostages alongside images of Palestinian children killed in the war.

The emotional protests surrounding these open letters have made Israeli authorities uncomfortable amid the growing controversy.