WEST BANK (Dispatches) – The Zionist regime’s army informed military school students that they are prohibited from participating in the weekly protests held in Tel Aviv demanding the return of Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip.
Channel 12 reported: “Students at the Israeli army’s officers’ school said they are prohibited from attending the march in Hostages Square, which takes place every Saturday.”
The channel added: “It is not about appearing in uniform, as it is when they return home on the weekend.”
“The justification given by the commanders to the students is that there is an order issued in the army prohibiting soldiers from participating in political demonstrations, and the demonstration regarding the captives is one of them,” it continued.
The Israeli channel reported: “The students tried to explain to their commanders that this was an attempt to support the captives’ families, but the order remained in effect.”
Israeli army’s spokesperson’s office responded: “There is no order prohibiting access to Captives Square. The case described here is under investigation,” without giving further details.
The ban comes as petitions continue to be filed by Zionist troops, ranging from reservists who can be called up for service to retired soldiers, including former senior commanders.
Hundreds of Israeli soldiers signed a new petition Friday demanding the regime reach a prisoner swap deal and end the war on the Gaza Strip.
Israeli public broadcaster KAN said the soldiers who signed the letter are from different divisions and specialties in the army, including unit 8200, special forces and elite units, such as Sayeret Matkal, Shayetet and Shaldag.
KAN added that between 20% to 30% of the signees are active reservist soldiers.
According to an Anadolu count, six petitions have been signed since Thursday, with the first signed by about 1,000 Air Force personnel that was later joined by 1,000 academics.
The second by hundreds of armored corps and navy forces; the third by dozens of reserve military doctors; the fourth by hundreds of the army’s intelligence unit 8200 members; the fifth by nearly 100 military doctors and the sixth by hundreds from various units, including special and elite forces.
Zionist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in several statements to fire active soldiers who signed any petition.
The Israeli army renewed its assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering a Jan. 19 ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.
Nearly 51,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. The military campaign has left the enclave in ruins and rendered it almost uninhabitable.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former war minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The occupying regime also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.