More than 250 former Mossad operatives call for cessation of Gaza conflict, reinstatement of hostages
According to a report from Israel's state-owned Kan TV News on Sunday, over 250 former officials of the Mossad intelligence agency have penned a letter calling for the government to promptly conclude the war in the Gaza Strip and facilitate the release of Israeli hostages.
TroibNews 
More than 250 former officials from Israel's Mossad intelligence agency have penned a letter calling for an immediate end to the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli hostages, as reported by Israel’s state-owned Kan TV News on Sunday.
The report highlights that the letter's signatories include three former Mossad chiefs: Danny Yatom, Efraim Halevy, and Tamir Pardo, along with numerous other seasoned officials from the agency.
In their letter, the ex-Mossad members stated, "Continued fighting endangers the lives of the hostages and our soldiers, and every possibility must be exhausted to reach an agreement that will end the suffering. We call on the government to make courageous decisions and act responsibly for the country's security."
They also extended their support to hundreds of military aircrew members, both in reserve and retired, who had similarly called for a halt to hostilities and the safe return of hostages.
Following the aircrew members' letter, published on April 10, Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Bar made the decision to dismiss active reservists who signed it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported this dismissal and criticized the letters, labeling the signatories as "an extremist fringe group" attempting to "break Israeli society from within."
Additionally, on the same day, around 200 Israeli military doctors signed a petition echoing the demand for cessation of fighting and the return of hostages, according to several media outlets that released the letter.
The petition stated, "The continued fighting in Gaza is primarily intended to serve political and personal interests, without any security purpose, and endangers the lives of soldiers and hostages."
Hamas took 251 hostages to Gaza during its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Currently, 59 Israeli hostages are still in Gaza, with 24 of them believed to be alive.
Israel and Hamas had previously agreed to a three-phase ceasefire-for-hostages deal in January. However, negotiations for the second phase have reached a stalemate since the conclusion of the initial six-week period on March 1. Consequently, Israel resumed military operations in Gaza on March 18 amid the ongoing deadlock.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
The report highlights that the letter's signatories include three former Mossad chiefs: Danny Yatom, Efraim Halevy, and Tamir Pardo, along with numerous other seasoned officials from the agency.
In their letter, the ex-Mossad members stated, "Continued fighting endangers the lives of the hostages and our soldiers, and every possibility must be exhausted to reach an agreement that will end the suffering. We call on the government to make courageous decisions and act responsibly for the country's security."
They also extended their support to hundreds of military aircrew members, both in reserve and retired, who had similarly called for a halt to hostilities and the safe return of hostages.
Following the aircrew members' letter, published on April 10, Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Bar made the decision to dismiss active reservists who signed it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported this dismissal and criticized the letters, labeling the signatories as "an extremist fringe group" attempting to "break Israeli society from within."
Additionally, on the same day, around 200 Israeli military doctors signed a petition echoing the demand for cessation of fighting and the return of hostages, according to several media outlets that released the letter.
The petition stated, "The continued fighting in Gaza is primarily intended to serve political and personal interests, without any security purpose, and endangers the lives of soldiers and hostages."
Hamas took 251 hostages to Gaza during its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Currently, 59 Israeli hostages are still in Gaza, with 24 of them believed to be alive.
Israel and Hamas had previously agreed to a three-phase ceasefire-for-hostages deal in January. However, negotiations for the second phase have reached a stalemate since the conclusion of the initial six-week period on March 1. Consequently, Israel resumed military operations in Gaza on March 18 amid the ongoing deadlock.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
