Elor Azariya
Elor AzariyaAvshalom Sasoni/POOL

The family of Elor Azariya is intent on appealing his sentence to the Supreme Court, despite the fact that IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot has stated that if a request to shorten Azaria's sentence is submitted, it will be considered seriously.

"We heard the voices of the Chief of Staff and the Defense Minister, but we intend to turn to the Supreme Court," said family members quoted by Channel 2 News on Sunday evening, hours after the military court rejected Azariya's appeal.

Eizenkot had earlier stated that if he received a request for leniency from Azariya's lawyers he would seriously consider it.

"The legal proceedings in the military court have ended. If Sgt. (res) Azariya chooses to submit a request for leniency in his sentence, it will be considered seriously, while examining all the relevant considerations and out of my sole obligation to the IDF's values and soldiers."

Elor Azariya was convicted of manslaughter in January for shooting a wounded terrorist last March. Azariya was sentenced to 18 months in prison.