Israeli army suspends reservists who threatened to quit if govt doesn't reach captive deal

Israel’s military has begun suspending reservists who said they would stop serving if their government didn’t reach a deal with Hamas to return captives still in Gaza, Haaretz reported.

The Israeli newspaper said soldiers who signed a statement threatening to stop serving in the army received phone calls informing them that they were being suspended.

The letter was reportedly signed by 130 soldiers, only about half of whom used their full names.

Some Israeli officials have attacked the soldiers for their statement, among them Transport Minister Miri Regev who reportedly said that those who refuse an order should be sent to jail, reported Haaretz.

During its 7 October 2023 attack in southern Israel, Hamas captured just over 250 hostages and took them to Gaza.

Some of them have died – some killed in Israeli strikes or gunfire – and others were freed.

Israel says there are 101 captives still in Gaza.

Mediation efforts being led by the US, Qatar and Egypt for a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave has so far failed.

Hamas wants to swap the captives for Palestinian prisoners, and says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demands are making any deal impossible to reach.

Netanyahu and his far-right coalition government have come under immense pressure from the Israeli public to reach a deal.

Israel's ongoing war on Gaza has killed over 42,000 people, most of them civilians.