Tel Aviv, MINA – More than 120,000 Israelis have signed 43 petitions demanding an end to the ongoing war in Gaza and a prisoner exchange, according to the “Restart Israel” platform, Anadolu Agency reported.
The digital platform enables citizens to review and sign petitions online. As of Thursday, 120,522 people had expressed support for the return of hostages and an immediate ceasefire.
Sixteen of the petitions were signed by over 10,000 military personnel, including veterans, reservists, and active-duty soldiers from elite units, brigades, and intelligence divisions.
The remaining 27 petitions were signed by civilian professionals such as academics, artists, writers, poets, and engineers.
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Among the prominent figures supporting the petitions are former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, ex-Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, four former navy commanders, Ami Ayalon, Yedidia Yaari, Alex Tal, and Dudu Ben-Besht, and three former leaders of the elite Flotilla 13 unit. Senior military figures like Amram Mitzna, Amos Malka, and Ilan Biran also endorsed the initiative.
All the petitions uniformly call for the release of 59 Israeli hostages, of whom 24 are believed to still be alive, and for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Friday by accusing the military petitioners of insubordination and warned of possible dismissal.
He claimed the movement was being fueled by foreign-funded organizations aiming to topple his government. Netanyahu described the petitioners as “a small, noisy, anarchistic, and disconnected group of pensioners,” vowing to expel anyone inciting disobedience. []
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