Israeli signatories of petitions demanding the return of captives in exchange for the end of the war against Gaza at 140,000
The signatories include thousands of former soldiers, senior military officials and civilians requiring hostage agreement on the continuation of the fighting
The number of Israelis who signed petitions demanding the return of the captives of Gaza, even at the cost of stopping war, climbed nearly 140,000 on Saturday, according to the campaign, which is gaining momentum in Israeli society.
The movement, coordinated by the Israel restored website, reflects growing frustration in the face of government’s military strategy and its inability to guarantee the release of captives.
In the past 24 hours only, more than 10,000 new signatories have joined the campaign. Since Saturday, the total number of signatures had reached 138,434, against 128,114 Friday. The number should continue to increase.
According to the platform, the number of petitions available for the public signature increased from 47 Friday to 50 per Saturday, including 21 launched by old members or reserve of the Israeli army.
Despite the warnings of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, more active and former soldiers join the initiative.
Netanyahu had previously threatened to reject the soldiers who denounce the war or publicly support petitions aimed at interrupting the conflict.
While the majority of signatories are civilians – 127,255, according to the latest data – 11,179 military figures have also signed.
Among civil signatories are 73,599 Israeli citizens, 1,500 parents of soldiers in active service and 1,300 parents of soldiers killed in combat.
The campaign has also attracted broad support in society, including teachers, academics, doctors, artists, lawyers and technology professionals.
Among the military reservists and the retirees, the paratroopers are the largest group to sign petitions, with 2,151 signatures, followed by 1,700 members of former members of the armored body, 1,600 of the artillery division of military intelligence 8200, 791 of the special forces, 612 of the artillery division, 553 of the Elite Goleti unit and 312.
Several former eminent military leaders have also signed the petitions, including the former Prime Minister and Chief of the General Staff Ehud Barak, the former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, the former head of the southern command, Amram Mitzna, the former chief of the central command Avi Mizrahi, and the former military intelligence chief Amos Malka.
Friday, Israeli media reported that the government had started to take disciplinary measures against military doctors who had signed the petitions.
This decision follows the recent affirmation of Netanyahu according to which the signatories engage in insubordination with the support of organizations financed abroad aimed at overthrowing his government, which has been in power since the end of 2022.
Israel is currently estimating that 24 of the 59 hostages remaining in Gaza are still alive. At the same time, more than 9,500 Palestinians are imprisoned in Israeli prisons, with numerous torture, famine and medical negligence reports leading to the death of prisoners.
A first cease-fire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel, negotiated by Egypt and Qatar with American support, began on January 19 and was violated by Israel in mid-March.
More than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli attack since October 2023, most women and children.
The International Criminal Court published arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and its former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for his war against the enclave.
