In a rare and striking move, over 250 former members of Mossad, Israel’s storied intelligence agency, have signed an open letter urging the Israeli government to bring an end to the war in Gaza and prioritise the immediate return of hostages held by Hamas.

The letter, first reported by Israeli news outlet Ynet, reflects a deepening unease within segments of the country’s security establishment over the conduct and strategic direction of the ongoing military campaign. The signatories, all of whom previously served in Mossad, argue that the continued war is not only exacting a devastating toll on civilians but is also failing to achieve its stated aims — including the safe repatriation of hostages and the long-term security of Israel.

“Our moral obligation is to bring them home — now,” the letter states, referring to the roughly 130 hostages still believed to be held in the Gaza Strip since the October 7th attacks. The former intelligence officials warn that the government’s current approach risks entrenching Hamas’s position, eroding international support, and weakening Israel’s moral standing globally.

While the Israeli government maintains that the dismantling of Hamas remains a military necessity, dissenting voices from within the ranks of the intelligence community add to a growing chorus of criticism. Recent weeks have seen similar calls from relatives of hostages, retired military officers, and former senior political figures. Yet Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet continue to pursue an aggressive military strategy in Gaza, insisting that a ceasefire would amount to a victory for Hamas and would leave Israel vulnerable to further attacks.

The letter from former Mossad operatives is particularly notable given the agency’s traditionally low public profile and the perception of its members as staunch defenders of Israeli security policy. Their intervention suggests a significant rupture in consensus among Israel’s security elites, with some now questioning not just the efficacy of the war but its broader strategic rationale.

As the conflict drags into its seventh month, pressure is mounting domestically and abroad for a diplomatic resolution. With civilian casualties in Gaza rising and Israel facing increasing isolation on the world stage, the government’s path forward remains fraught with both moral and political peril. The call from the former Mossad agents, though unlikely to shift policy on its own, underscores a growing recognition among influential segments of Israeli society that the current trajectory may be unsustainable.

Al Jazeera.