Hundreds of former operatives from Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency have criticised the return to war in Gaza amid growing frustration over the failure to bring home the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

A group of more than 250 former Mossad figures – including three ex-chiefs – gave their backing to a letter first signed by air force veterans and reservists that urged the Israeli government to prioritise bringing back the hostages over fighting Hamas in Gaza.

The Israeli government believes that 24 of the remaining 58 hostages who were taken captive in Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, are still alive.

The letter decried the amping-up of Israeli strikes and ground operations in Gaza since the collapse of the ceasefire in March as driven by the personal interests of the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. It accused his government of putting the lives of soldiers and the hostages at risk for his own political gain. ….more