"We're over 350 soldiers who served during the war and were refusing to continue to serve in Netanyahu's political war," he told the BBC's Emir Nader.

Protests took place across Israel in cities including Haifa and Tel Aviv.

Israel's decision to expand its war in Gaza - a major escalation in the conflict - sparked condemnation from the UN and many countries including the UK, France, Australia, Turkey, Germany, Finland and Canada. BBC reported.

The UN has warned that a complete military takeover would risk "catastrophic consequences" for Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

The plan, approved by the Israeli security cabinet, lists five "principles" for ending the war: disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, demilitarising the Gaza Strip, taking security control of the territory, and establishing "an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority".