Israel military says air force to fire pilots who signed Gaza war petition

An Israeli military official said Thursday that reserve pilots, who publicly called for securing the release of hostages even at the cost of ending the Gaza war, would be dismissed 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 told AFP in response to a letter signed by around 1,000 reserve and retired pilots.

The letter, which was published on a full page in multiple daily newspapers, directly challenges the policy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has insisted that increased military pressure on Gaza is the only way to get Palestinian militants to release hostages seized during Hamas's October 2023 attack.

"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 most of the signatories of the letter were not active reservists.

"Our policy is clear - the IDF stands above all political dispute. There is no room for anybody 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 supported the move to dismiss any active pilots who had 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".

Some 251 people were seized during Hamas's attack, 58 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

A truce that 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 around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Efforts to restore the truce and release more hostages have so far failed.