Israeli military, academic figures call for halt to Gaza war to free captives

Thousands of Israeli military and academic figures have joined a petition calling for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of captives, Israeli media reported on Friday.

The petition has been signed by 2,000 Israeli academics, 100 military doctors, and hundreds of reservists, according to reports by Israeli Army Radio and Channels 12 and 13.

The letter has not been officially published yet, and is still being organized by the professionals involved, reports noted.

Army Radio mentioned that most signatories are currently active in reserve service, and more doctors are expected to sign in the coming days.

This call comes on the heels of a similar petition signed by around 1,000 Israeli Air Force reservists, followed by 150 officers from the Israeli Navy and dozens of personnel from the Armored Corps, who also signed petitions calling for a ceasefire and the return of the hostages.

Israel estimates that 59 hostages are still being held in Gaza, with at least 22 of them alive.

They were expected to be set free in a second phase of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which would require Israel to fully withdraw its forces from Gaza and end the war permanently.

But Israel renewed the assault and broke the January ceasefire agreement. It has killed more than 50,800 Palestinians in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and reduced the enclave to a rubble.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.