From the Liveblog of
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Ex-captive’s nephew, mother of reservist call on soldiers to refuse to carry out Gaza City takeover plan
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Speakers at the anti-government, pro-hostage deal protest in front of the Begin Street entrance to the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv urge soldiers to refuse to serve in the expanded fighting in Gaza following the cabinet’s decision to take over Gaza City.
Along with a separate protest at Hostages Square, tens of thousands of Israelis are reportedly in the streets of Tel Aviv this evening.
“The mission you’ll be given is participation in the killing of hostages,” says Shai Mozes, nephew of former hostage Gadi Mozes, in a speech before thousands of people at the demonstration. “In this situation, there is no other choice but to refuse.”
The mother of a combat officer in the IDF reserves, introduced only as Bat-El, says soldiers are wasting away physically and mentally and are deprived of proper defensive equipment. She says the Gaza City takeover plan “puts Israel on the sure path to a forever war that will cause the death of the hostages, cause the deaths of hundreds of soldiers, cause the destruction of Israel’s image.”
“Don’t agree to enter Gaza,” she says. “Refuse to participate in an overtly illegal war.”
The speakers do not mention the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a reason to refuse to fight there, though some protesters hold up signs calling on soldiers to refuse to serve for that reason as well.
Following the speeches, some protesters hoist flaming torches as they prepare to march around the IDF headquarters to protest the cabinet plan, alongside thousands more people coming from the Hostages Square rally a block away.
The Times of Israel Community.