Military aviators in Israel staging a public protest, calling for a termination of ongoing hostilities
Hundreds of Israeli Fighter Pilots Protest Against Gaza War and Call for Hostage Release
In a significant show of dissent, nearly 500 retired and reserve Israeli Air Force pilots held a protest in Tel Aviv on August 2025, demanding an immediate end to the ongoing Gaza war and calling for a hostage deal rather than an expansion of military operations.
The veterans, widely respected as military elites, gathered in front of the military headquarters in Tel Aviv, urging that Israel should stop sacrificing soldiers in an endless conflict without clear objectives. Their main demands were an immediate cessation of the war in Gaza, a negotiation for the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and opposition to the government’s plan to occupy Gaza City and expand military action.
The protest, which coincided with mounting public pressure for peace, was accompanied by a general strike planned for August 17, initiated by families of victims of the Hamas attack and other groups seeking to end the conflict. These hostage families emphasized that continuing the war only leads to more sacrifice and called on the entire country to participate in the strike.
The ongoing conflict, which began following Hamas's surprise attack on October 7, 2023, has caused deep divisions within Israeli society, including among elite military figures who traditionally hold significant influence. The demonstration was attended by retired pilots and reservists, as well as mothers of reserve soldiers, highlighting the broad social impact and the personal toll of the war on Israeli families.
International mediators are making efforts to resume indirect talks between Israel and the Islamic Hamas in the face of the impending escalation of the war. Hamas is demanding a complete end to the almost two-year war and a withdrawal of Israeli troops, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking a deal in which all 50 remaining hostages - the living and the dead - are released simultaneously.
The former Chief of General Staff Dan Chalutz called out on stage, "Enough! End this foolish war." A letter from the wife of an Israeli navigator whose fighter plane crashed in Lebanon in 1986 was read out at the protest. The navigator, Ron Arad, was captured at the time, and his fate remains unknown. Tami Arad's letter read, "39 years ago, I tried to explain that Ron’s time was running out. No one believed then that a living captive could simply disappear from the world. Today, the decision-makers know what can happen - and yet the Israeli government has decided to take Gaza."
Reactions from military leadership and political figures were mixed. While many reserve and retired pilots expressed open dissent, Israel’s largest labor coalition, the Histadrut, chose not to join the strike, citing doubts about its effectiveness to influence the war or secure hostages’ release.
The demonstration underscores a growing public debate about Israel’s war aims and strategies in Gaza, as the country grapples with the ongoing conflict and its impact on society. A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo for talks on Tuesday, adding a new dimension to the complex and sensitive negotiations.
- "Despite the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Gaza, the European Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, as many countries’ military personnel, including Israeli Air Force pilots, are constantly exposed to such radiation during combat operations."
- "Meanwhile, in the realm of general-news and politics, the protests by Israeli veterans against the war in Gaza have sparked debates about the war's objectives, with sports taking a back seat as the nation focuses on resolving the conflict and securing the release of hostages."
