Israeli Air Force to Dismiss Reservists for Gaza War Criticism; Red Cross Calls Gaza 'Hell on Earth' Amid Humanitarian Crisis

On April 11, 2025, the Israeli military announced the dismissal of air force reservists who criticized the Gaza war, citing a breach of trust. Nearly 1,000 personnel signed a letter accusing the government of prolonging the conflict. The Red Cross described Gaza as 'hell on earth,' with severe shortages due to a blockade. Since March, 1,542 Palestinians have died, and 400,000 have been displaced. A mass grave with 15 emergency workers was found, prompting calls for investigations. The UN warns of Gaza's uninhabitability, while Israel claims compliance with international law.

Israeli Military to Dismiss Reservists Over Public Dissent

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Friday that it will terminate the service of air force reservists who signed a public letter criticizing the war in Gaza. The letter, signed by nearly 1,000 current and former Israeli Air Force personnel, accused the government of prolonging the conflict for political purposes rather than prioritizing the return of hostages held by Hamas.

An IDF spokesperson told the Associated Press that "there is no room for any individual, including reservists on active duty, to exploit their military status while simultaneously participating in the fighting," calling the act a "breach of trust between commanders and subordinates." The military did not specify how many reservists would be dismissed or whether the process had already begun.

While the signatories did not refuse to serve, their public dissent is part of a growing wave of criticism from within the Israeli military ranks. Retired air force pilot Guy Poran, who led the initiative, said the letter was a moral appeal to end the war and prioritize the lives of hostages and civilians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the letter as the work of a "small handful of weeds" backed by foreign-funded NGOs.

Red Cross: Gaza a "Hell on Earth"

As the Israeli military campaign intensifies, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated sharply. Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, described the enclave as "hell on earth" during a press briefing in Geneva. She warned that the Red Cross field hospital in Gaza would run out of supplies within two weeks due to a complete blockade on humanitarian aid since March 2.

"People don't have access to water, electricity, or food in many parts," Spoljaric said. "It is extremely dangerous for the population to move, but it's especially also dangerous for us to operate."

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 22 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are only minimally functional, with critical shortages of antibiotics and blood bags. The blockade has prevented the entry of any new humanitarian supplies since early March, exacerbating the crisis.

Casualties and Displacement

According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 50,912 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October 2023, following a Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Since the collapse of the most recent ceasefire on March 18, at least 1,542 Palestinians have been killed in renewed Israeli airstrikes.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) estimates that nearly 400,000 people have been displaced since the ceasefire ended. The UN has warned that the cumulative impact of Israeli military operations is rendering Gaza increasingly uninhabitable.

Killing of Paramedics and Mass Grave Discovery

In March, the bodies of 15 emergency and aid workers, including eight members of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), were discovered in a mass grave in southern Gaza. The PRCS alleges that the workers were deliberately targeted by Israeli forces while responding to an emergency call in a convoy of ambulances.

One of the victims, 23-year-old paramedic Rifaat Radwan, had recorded video footage on his phone showing that the ambulance lights were on at the time of the attack. The Israeli military initially claimed the convoy approached "suspiciously" without lights, but later acknowledged that the initial account was mistaken.

The IDF stated that the troops perceived a threat due to a prior encounter in the area and claimed, without providing evidence, that six of those killed were Hamas operatives. The PRCS has rejected this claim and called for an independent international investigation, labeling the incident a "full-fledged war crime."

A surviving paramedic, Munther Abed, recounted being fired upon without warning and later detained and interrogated by Israeli forces. "They were my second family... my brothers, my friends, my loved ones," he said. "I wished I had died from the horror of what I saw."

International Law and Humanitarian Concerns

The ICRC, as the guardian of the Geneva Conventions, has publicly criticized the conduct of the war, stating that the situation in Gaza represents an "extreme hollowing out" of international law. Spoljaric emphasized that all parties to a conflict are bound by the rules of war, including the protection of civilians, medical personnel, and infrastructure.

The UN human rights office echoed these concerns, warning that Israel's tactics may be creating conditions "incompatible with [Palestinians'] continued existence as a group in Gaza." The office cited verified airstrikes in which all casualties were women and children.

Despite these warnings, Israeli officials maintain that their military operations comply with international law and are aimed at pressuring Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

References

• Israel's military says air force reservists who condemned Gaza war will be fired
• IDF says it will fire air force reservists who condemn Gaza war
• Gaza 'hell on earth' as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross
• Gaza 'hell on earth' as hospital supplies running out, warns Red Cross
• Gaza 'hell on earth' as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross
• Gaza ‘hell on earth’ as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross
• UNRWA says 400,000 displaced in Gaza since ceasefire ended
• What Gaza is like now: 2.1 million people are ‘trapped, bombed and starved’
• 'We collected his body instead of celebrating Eid' - mother of killed Gaza medic
• Red Cross chief says Gaza is 'hell on earth' as Israeli assault continues