Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several members of his government have attacked 130 Israeli soldiers who announced a few days ago that they would refuse to serve unless the government sought to reach a prisoner exchange agreement with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Haaretz newspaper quoted informed sources as saying that Netanyahu called during security discussions to end this issue forcefully and firmly and to use all measures permitted by law to confront this disobedience, stressing that these soldiers have lost their "national conscience."

In turn, Transportation Minister Miri Regev said during the meeting that if this was a rebellion, these soldiers should be sent to prison.

Defense Minister Yoav Galant stressed that the figures presented by the media regarding this message do not reflect reality, and that the Israeli army responds forcefully to any sign of disobedience.

While representatives of the Israeli army confirmed at the meeting that they had not received the message sent to the media.

Soldiers' Message

A few days ago, Haaretz published a letter signed by 130 Israeli soldiers warning that they would no longer serve unless the government worked to reach an agreement regarding the detainees in Gaza.

The newspaper added that the letter was signed by reserve soldiers from the Armored Corps, Artillery Corps, Home Front Command, Air Force and Navy.

The letter stated that "it is now clear that the continuation of the war in Gaza not only delays the return of the hostages from captivity, but also puts their lives in danger: many more hostages have been killed by IDF strikes than those rescued in military operations."

"We who serve faithfully, and at the same time risk our lives, hereby declare that if the government does not immediately change course and work to reach an agreement to return the hostages home, we will not be able to continue serving," the letter added.

Israel estimates that there are 101 detainees in the Gaza Strip, while Hamas announced that dozens of them were killed in random Israeli raids.

Despite the ongoing joint mediation efforts of Qatar, Egypt and the United States for months, and the presentation of one agreement proposal after another to end the war on Gaza and exchange prisoners, Netanyahu continues to set new conditions, including continued control over the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt, the Rafah crossing in Gaza, and preventing the return of Palestinian faction fighters to northern Gaza by inspecting returnees through the Netzarim corridor in the middle of the Strip.

For its part, Hamas insists on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and a complete cessation of war to accept any agreement.