Israel army will fire air force reservists calling for halt to war

TEL AVIV

Israel's military said on April 11 it will fire air force reservists who signed a letter condemning the war in Gaza and accusing it of only serving political interests and not bringing the hostages home.

In a statement to The Associated Press, an army official said there was no room for any body or individual, including reservists in active duty, “to exploit their military status while simultaneously participating in the fighting,” calling it a breach of trust between commanders and subordinates.

The army said it decided that any active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving. It did not specify how many people that included or if the firings had begun.

Nearly 1,000 Israeli Air Force reservists and retirees signed a letter, published in Israeli media on April 10, demanding the immediate return of the hostages, even at the cost of ending the fighting.

The letter comes as Israel ramps up its offensive in Gaza. It has imposed a blockade on food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle.