Hundreds of retired Israeli pilots, along with a number of air force reservists, signed a petition published Thursday morning calling on the Israeli government to conclude an immediate deal to return all prisoners from the Gaza Strip, even if this requires an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Despite efforts by Israeli Air Force commanders to prevent the petition's publication and to discourage pilots from signing or withdrawing their signatures, these attempts failed. The signatories stated that "the current war serves political and personal interests, not security interests."

According to the petition, which was published in Israeli newspapers, the signatories called on all Israelis to "engage in an effective movement." They emphasized the need to reach an agreement that would return the prisoners to their homes immediately, noting that "time is running out, and every day of delay puts their lives at risk."

Initial investigations show that 10% of the signatories are active reserve soldiers, most of them volunteers, while the rest are retired officers, including senior Air Force reserve officers or retired officers, as well as a former IDF Chief of Staff.

The petition's signatories include prominent military figures in the Air Force, including former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz and retired Major General Nimrod Sheffer, along with a number of retired senior officers such as Brigadier General Asaf Agmon, Major General Gil Regev, Brigadier General Ralik Shaffir, and Amir Haskel.

The vast majority of signatories are considered retired officers, while only five of the hundreds used their initials, indicating that they are active reserve soldiers who preferred to remain anonymous to avoid being excluded.

A security source speaking to Israeli Army Radio expressed strong reservations about the move, saying, "Anyone who signs this type of statement lacks confidence in the Air Force leadership, the Chief of Staff, and the tasks assigned to him. It will be difficult for him to continue in service."

Army sources claimed that recent talks between the Chief of Staff and the Air Force Commander with a number of reserve soldiers led to some of them rescinding their decision to sign. A number of senior reserve officers who were at the forefront of the 2023 protests also abstained from signing the petition.

The petition stands out as one of the largest demonstrations of protest within the Israeli military since the start of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, amid mounting criticism accusing the government of exploiting the war for political and personal purposes, rather than achieving its declared security objectives.

Despite pressure from the Air Force leadership over the past few days and attempts to dissuade reservists from signing or withdrawing their signatures, these efforts failed to prevent the publication of the petition, which has been described as unprecedented, particularly since it was issued despite "explicit warnings of expulsion from service."

The petition reads: "We, Air Force pilots, both reserve and retired, demand the immediate return of the captives to their homes, even if this requires an immediate cessation of hostilities. The current war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security interests."

The signatories emphasized that "continued fighting serves none of its stated objectives. Rather, it leads to the deaths of prisoners, soldiers, and innocent civilians, and depletes the capabilities of reserve forces." They continued, "As experience has shown, an agreement is the only way to return the prisoners safely."

They added, "Military pressure often leads to their deaths and endangers the lives of our soldiers. Therefore, we call on all Israelis to take action and demand an end to the war and the immediate return of the prisoners. Every day of delay puts their lives in danger. Every moment of hesitation is a disgrace."

In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, one of the petition's initiators said, "The petition does not address refusal to serve or non-compliance, nor does it send any message to the army. It is a clear message to the government: Return the prisoners, even at the cost of stopping the fighting."

In the army, dozens of active-duty soldiers reportedly withdrew their signatures over the past two days after talks with their commanders and threats of dismissal. However, estimates in the Air Force indicate that "dozens more may join" the protest, while officials are awaiting developments before taking disciplinary action.

Although the petition explicitly questioned "the command's intentions and war aims," the Army does not consider it a "call to rebellion or refusal to serve." Instead, it is currently classified as an "expression of a political position" by reservists who are not currently serving and have not been assigned any mission.

At this stage, the military does not intend to take collective punitive measures and will continue its approach of "individual dialogue," considering that the phenomenon remains limited and that many of the signatories are not actually subject to current military orders.