1 week ago
26
April 11, 2025 | 01:52 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Israeli military official said on Thursday that thousands of reserve pilots who openly called for the release of hostages and even to halt the war in Gaza would be discharged from the air force.
“With the full backing of the chief of the General Staff, the commander of the IAF (Israeli air force) has decided that any active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving in the IDF (military),” the official responded to the letter signed by around 1,000 reserve and retired army pilots as reported by Arab News.
The letter, published on a full page in several Israeli newspapers, directly challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policy. He insisted that the increased military pressure on Gaza is the only way to make the Palestinian Hamas fighter group release the hostages.
"We, the aircrew in the reserves and retired, demand the immediate return of the hostages even at the cost of an immediate cessation of hostilities," the letter said.
"The war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security interests,” it said, adding that the resumed offensive “will result in the deaths of the hostages, IDF soldiers and innocent civilians, and the exhaustion of the reserve service."
"Only an agreement can return the hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers."
The military official said that most of the signatories of the letter were not active reserve army members.
"Our policy is clear – the IDF stands above all political disputes. There is no room for any body or individual, including reservists in active duty, to exploit their military status while simultaneously participating in the fighting and calling for its cessation," the official said.
Netanyahu said he supports the move to dismiss any active pilots who signed the letter.
"Refusal is refusal — even when it is implied and expressed in euphemistic language," a statement released by his office said. "Statements that weaken the IDF and strengthen our enemies during wartime are unforgivable"
Around 251 people were arrested during the Hamas attack, 58 of them are still held in Gaza, including 34 people who, according to the Israeli military, have been killed.
The ceasefire, which lasted from January 19 to March 17, saw the return of 33 Israeli hostages – eight of them in coffins – in exchange for the release of about 1,800 Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
Efforts to restore the ceasefire and free more hostages have so far failed as Netanyahu unilaterally violated the ceasefire.
The Israeli military said it continued its ground operation in southern Gaza and had "uncovered dozens of terrorist infrastructure sites and several tunnels leading to an underground terror network in the area."
The Israeli military said that Wednesday's attack in Gaza City had "eliminated" a Hamas commander from an area believed to have been involved in an attack in October 2023.
The Gaza civil defense agency said at least 23 people, including women and children, were killed in an attack that flattened a four-story residential building.
In an update on Thursday, the Gaza health ministry said at least 1,522 Palestinians had been killed in the renewed Israeli attacks. Thus, the total number of casualties since the start of Israel's genocide in Gaza has reached 50,886 people, mostly women and children.
The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people according to official Israeli figures. However, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant admitted that many of the casualties that day were the result of attacks from Israeli military Apache helicopters, as part of the Hannibal Directive which prohibits Israeli citizens from being kidnapped alive by the enemy.
Editor's Choice: WHO Says Israel's Blockade Prevents 75% of UN Aid, Worsens Gaza Crisis
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Foreign Minister: Palestinian Evacuation to Indonesia Needs More Dialogue
1 jam lalu
The consultation results with several countries will be the Indonesian government's final decision on evacuating Palestinians.
WHO Says Israel's Blockade Prevents 75% of UN Aid, Worsens Gaza Crisis
1 jam lalu
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that 75 percent of UN missions were denied entry to Gaza due to Israel's blockade
Over 1,500 Palestinians Killed as Israel Resumes Attacks on Gaza
4 jam lalu
Gaza Health Ministry reported the death toll has reached 1,552 people since Israel resumed attacks in mid-March.
Indonesia, Turkey Pledge Support for Palestinian Independence
7 jam lalu
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to support Palestinian independence.
Indonesia's Prabowo Calls on Turkiye for Effort in Building Global Civilization
14 jam lalu
President Prabowo expressed Indonesia's transformation and its commitment to collaborate with Turkiye for the welfare of its people
Indonesia Affirms 'Temporary' Plan to Shelter Gaza Refugees
18 jam lalu
Foreign Minister Sugiono asserts that Indonesia will accommodate Palestinian refugees from Gaza temporarily.
1,000 Israeli Troops Demand Ceasefire in Gaza
19 jam lalu
A letter issued by 1,000 reserve Israeli Air Force soldiers accuses the Gaza attack of being for ''political and personal interests.''
Macron Says France Could Recognize Palestine 'in June'
22 jam lalu
France plans to recognize Palestine as a state in June at the upcoming UN conference in New York.
African Union Expels Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia from Event
22 jam lalu
A senior official from Israel was expelled from the African Union event this week.
Attempted Netanyahu-Trump Meeting Ends in Failure
1 hari lalu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent meeting with President Donald Trump was deemed a failure, marking their second unsuccessful encounter in two months.
