Retired Israeli Air Force Pilots Protest Against Gaza War: Don’t Kill Hostages and Soldiers

In Tel Aviv, a notable demonstration transpired on Tuesday, with hundreds of former Israeli Air Force pilots rallying against the ongoing conflict in Gaza outside the Defense Ministry. The gathering, known as “555,” was the first physical assembly for this group since they formed to voice their opposition to the government’s recent decision: the launch of an operation aimed at capturing Gaza City and further escalating the nearly two-year war.

The majority of participants were over 60 years old, standing united under a banner that read “Do Not Harm Hostages and Soldiers.” Throughout their speeches, they emphasized their desire to end the war, not just for Israeli lives but also for the safety of Palestinian civilians.

Former chief of staff of the Israeli military and ex-Air Force commander Dan Halutz was among them. Challenging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that Hamas remains a significant threat, Halutz declared to the crowd, “I struggle to identify any senior commander in the IDF who believes Hamas poses a strategic threat we cannot defend against.”

Turning his attention to Israel’s current chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, Halutz stated, “The war has reached its conclusion. Gaza is structurally and humanly destroyed. There’s no military presence there. The last remaining Hamas operatives are in hiding.”

Halutz addressed Netanyahu directly, stating that if the prime minister had heeded President Joe Biden’s call to end the war a year and a half ago, “the landscape would look different today.” Halutz accused the government of lacking the mandate to wage a war that most of the public opposes, asserting that it is eroding Israel’s moral standards and values as both humans and Jews. He warned, “We will lose the right to send soldiers into battle if we do not bring home those we have already sent.”

Among the protestors was Hagai Katz, one of Israel’s most decorated fighter pilots and a key participant in the 1981 air strike on Iraq’s nuclear reactor. Katz also opposed the campaign to capture Gaza City, rejecting Netanyahu’s promise that it would eliminate Hamas once and for all.

“We heard similar promises from Netanyahu almost two years ago,” said Katz. “He claimed that military pressure was the only effective solution. We were told this when he went into Rafah, when we moved to Khan Yunis, and now again with regards to Gaza — but we believe we will reach the same outcome, albeit with more hostages, soldiers, and Palestinian casualties.”

When questioned about what he would tell Israeli pilots currently striking Gaza from the air, Katz acknowledged their moral quandary. “It’s a difficult question because in today’s war, unlike 50 years ago, you don’t see the target,” he said. “You rely on an accurate position or image, trusting the system to verify there are not too many innocent bystanders nearby. Yet, realistically, we know that a significant number of uninvolved people are being killed. Therefore, they face a dilemma: cease attacks or resign from their reserves — in some cases, forsaking their duty to protect Israel — or continue and risk harming innocent bystanders. This is a pressing issue.”

Would he participate in Gaza operations if still serving? “Probably not,” Katz responded. “And if that meant leaving the service, I would have done so.”

The pilots’ protest follows a recent petition by former heads of Israel’s security services advocating for an end to the war. Polls indicate that a large majority of Israelis support ending the Gaza conflict in exchange for the hostages’ release. However, the cabinet’s approval for a campaign to take control of Gaza City has raised concerns from the current military chief, according to media reports, who fears such an operation could jeopardize the lives of the estimated 20 surviving hostages in Gaza.

So far, the army has not issued call-up orders for reserve soldiers to bolster the mission. Yet, the public debate — both domestically and internationally — over the operation’s legitimacy is expected to intensify as universities prepare for a strike this coming Sunday.