200 Israeli soldiers threaten to stop serving, if no prisoner swap deal is reached
Shafaq News/ Two hundred Israeli soldiers threatened on Tuesday to halt their military service in the Gaza Strip unless the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu negotiates a deal to return prisoners held by Palestinian factions.
The soldiers signed a letter signaling their intent to cease service in Gaza as part of an initiative launched by a group of reservists called "Soldiers for the Kidnapped," which has been open for electronic signatures on its website since October 2024.
The letter was addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.
According to the initiative’s website, 200 soldiers have signed the letter, along with thousands of civilians who have expressed support.
The letter reads: “We, the reservists, regular soldiers, and officers, hereby declare that we cannot continue under these circumstances. The war in Gaza condemns our brothers and sisters who are kidnapped to death.”
The soldiers continued, “We volunteered immediately to fight and rescue the hostages held in Gaza” following the October 7, 2023, attack.
The signatories also stated that it is now clear that the continuation of the war in Gaza not only delays the return of the hostages but also places their lives in greater danger.
Many of the Israeli prisoners held by Hamas have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, and the number of those killed exceeds the number of hostages freed through military operations.
The soldiers warned their government that they would not continue serving “unless the government changes its behavior immediately and works to secure a prisoner swap deal to bring the hostages home.”
They emphasized, “For some of us, the red line has already been crossed. The day is quickly approaching when we will stop serving with broken hearts.”
The letter called on the Israeli government to “sign a deal now to save the living hostages,” according to its contents.
The Israeli security cabinet (the "Security Cabinet") is scheduled to meet on Tuesday “to ratify a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas,” as reported by Israeli media on Monday.