 Azaria requested IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot for leniency on 3 August while standing by his stated reason that he believed Sharif had an explosive device.His attorneys submitted an official request to the Military Court of Appeals for delaying his prison sentence until Chief of Staff Eizenkot ruled on whether to commute his sentence.Azaria's request for delay start of his sentence was rejected on 8 August with the court citing a 2010 ruling that a pardon request is not sufficient grounds for delaying the start of a prison term and also stated that sentences are to begin immediately after being handed down.