The protest letter, sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and the army chief of staff, was released online late Tuesday, The Guardian reported on Wednesday.
The signatories—identified only as members of elite surveillance units, including Unit 8200—claim Israeli airstrikes have killed “many hostages” and that abandoning March ceasefire talks handed those still captive “a death sentence”.
They accuse Netanyahu of waging war to preserve his rule and appease “anti-democratic and messianic elements” in his coalition.
“When a government acts for ulterior motives, harms civilians and leads to the killing of innocent people, the orders it issues are clearly illegal, and we must not obey them,” the officers wrote, urging Israelis to “do everything in their power” to end the campaign.
Some said they would refuse service publicly, others in quieter ways.
According to Gaza’s health authority, at least 55,000 people have been killed and 125,000 wounded since Israel launched its 20-month offensive following Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attacks that killed 1,200 in southern Israel. Fifty-six hostages remain in Gaza; Israel believes about 20 are still alive.
The letter deepens dissent inside the military: in April, 250 Unit 8200 reservists urged an end to the war but stopped short of outright refusal.
One officer said the latest stance aims to “challenge the legitimacy of this operation and of this government”, arguing the bombardment shows the army is “willing to do everything to […] get rid of Gaza’s population by any means," according to The Guardian.
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Source: The Guardian