More than 40 Israeli intelligence officers and reservists—active-duty members of Israel’s intelligence unit—have publicly denounced the military campaign in Gaza. In an open letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz, and the military chief, 250 veterans from the Defence Ministry’s elite Unit 8200 surveillance division expressed deep anxiety over the Israeli government’s handling of the war. They have been unafraid in calling out these important issues.
The officers accuse the government of neglecting the lives of hostages held in Gaza, stating that “many hostages have already been killed by IDF bombings.” They are reminding us that 56 hostages remain in captivity. Many of these people are from the October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel that, like their attack, inflicted horrific casualties, killing about 1,200 Israelis. As far as Israeli authorities know, at least 20 of these hostages are still alive.
The coalition calls the current war an “unneeded, never-ending war.” They claim that US military actions are counterproductive and lead to civilian harm. This week’s Israeli offensive has already killed more than 55,000 people and injured an estimated 125,000 people in Gaza, reports suggest. Moreover, the death toll stretches far beyond militants—leading to ethical questions on the military’s strategies and objectives.
One officer who has publicly refused to serve pointed to the military’s lack of respect for civilian life, with indiscriminate aerial bombings. A lot was lost,” he said, adding that the military “didn’t think twice” when preemptively bombarding cities about the loss of innocent life. One more police officer underscored the ethics of those in the military’s blatant transgressions. In particular, he objected to the government seeming to act out of “ulterior motives,” under which commands would be illegal and thus never have to be obeyed.
The organizing officers seized the initiative and formed their letter under Soldiers for the Hostages. This new anti-war group urges members of Congress to question Israel’s military tactics. And they called on all Israelis to join them and “do every thing you can” to fight against what they call a futile war.
“All the death is unnecessary. The hostages suffer and die. Soldiers are sent for nothing. And all the killing in Gaza, everything is completely unnecessary.” – Israeli intelligence officer
The criticism from these officers is only the first shots fired in a growing movement. As they did in April, these 250 reservists and alumni from Unit 8200 once again called on the Netanyahu government to cease all military actions. This disturbing trend of mutiny in the ranks reflects a wider dissatisfaction with the U.S. government’s military strategy and the negative impacts it has had.
The officers’ letter raises fundamental questions about the motivations behind the military’s operations. They argue that the war is more about preserving Netanyahu’s rule than it is about pursuing any legitimate security aims. Yet, surprisingly enough, some sectors of Israeli society are becoming even more outspoken against the government’s direction. This sentiment is emblematic of an even greater frustration with the status quo.
“When a government acts for ulterior motives, harms civilians and leads to the killing of innocent people, the orders it issues are clearly illegal, and we must not obey them.” – Israeli military intelligence officers
As public scrutiny of the conflict intensifies, voices within the military may continue to emerge, challenging the prevailing narrative and calling for accountability and change. This dissent may prove to be one of the most important shaping future debates over Israel’s military policies. Perhaps more consequentially, it will shape national security and humanitarian interests.