IDF Officers Send Letter To Chief Of Staff, Urging Continued Battle: ‘We’re Far From Victory’

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In an unusual move for a military unit, 71 out of more than 200 soldiers who completed their officer’s training course this week sent a sharp letter to Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, warning that the IDF is still far from victory over Hamas and stressing their opposition to transferring to pinpoint raids in Gaza, according to an Arutz Sheva report.

“The public sees the bombings and targeted assassinations and thinks this is how a war should be fought,” explained one of the 71 signatories of the letter.

“It is important to us that the public knows that this is not how wars are won, wars are won on foot. You conquer territory, purify it, hold it, and move on to the next target. We did not come to revolt, we will be here every time and every place we are called upon, we came to push forward from the bottom up. There is a whole movement of people here who want to win, who want to defeat the enemy after years of endless rounds of fighting.”

In the letter, signed with their full names, the officers, who were then still cadets, detailed: “We, the undersigned, have been mobilized since the beginning of the war for over 200 days, commanding and leading thousands of soldiers from all IDF brigades. We fought and are still fighting on all the different fronts, from the northern border, through Judea and Samaria, to the Gaza Strip. All this we did for one sole purpose: to achieve a decisive victory over our bitter enemies who massacred, burned, raped, and kidnapped our brothers and sisters, humiliated our national dignity, and severely damaged our deterrent capability.”

“In the past few days, we have been astonished by repeated statements from senior army officials that victory is within reach and it is possible to move to the stage of pinpoint raids. We, who came from the field, know very well that the situation is still far from victory.”

“The enemy still has cross-border capabilities, UAVs, explosive drones, mortars, an enormous tunnel infrastructure, and tens of thousands of live terrorists, prepared for continued fighting against us. This is not what victory looks like! Commander! We are full of fighting spirit! Confident in our ability to achieve a true victory and defeat the enemy! We believe in our fighters and the families that push us forward. Don’t stop us! Let us win!”