Around 350 Israeli authors have signed an open letter urging an immediate end to the ongoing war in Gaza, according to the Times of Israel. Prominent signatories include acclaimed writers David Grossman, Joshua Sobol, and Zeruya Shalev.
“This war endangers the lives of IDF soldiers, the hostages, and causes horrific suffering for helpless civilians in Gaza,” the letter states. “The acts being committed in Gaza and the occupied territories are not done in our name, but they will be on our account.”
The writers are calling for an immediate halt to Israel’s military operation against Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group, and are advocating for the return of hostages taken to Gaza. They also call for an internationally brokered agreement on Gaza’s future.
The letter sharply criticizes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of prolonging the war for personal political reasons.
This statement from the literary community follows similar calls from within the Israeli military, where some have urged a ceasefire and a negotiated agreement with Hamas for the release of hostages.
The war in Gaza began following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left approximately 1,200 people dead and over 250 taken hostage.
Since then, Gaza’s health authorities report that around 51,000 people have been killed—many of them women and minors. These figures, which do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, have not been independently verified.
The Israeli military has stated that approximately 20,000 Hamas fighters have been killed in the conflict.
