Almost 1,000 Israeli Air Force reservists sign letter opposing Gaza war

Almost 1,000 Israel Air Force personnel published a letter on Thursday morning calling for the return of all captives and an end to the fighting in Gaza, Haaretz reported.

Reserve and retired aircrew fighters said in the letter that Israel's war currently serves mainly political and personal interests, not security interests.

"The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals and will lead to the deaths of the hostages, Israeli soldiers and innocent civilians, and to the attrition of the IDF reserve forces."

The signatories to the letter added that "as has been proven in the past, only a deal can bring back the hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of the hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers".

The letter also called on all Israeli citizens to mobilise and demand an end to the war. "Every day that passes puts their lives at risk," they said.

Twenty-five people retracted their signatures after Israeli Air Force commander Tomer Bar threatened them with dismissal from the service, the report said.