Some 1,790 graduates of the elite IDF Talpiot program, including reservists and retired officers, published a letter on Monday calling for the immediate return of the hostages, even if it means ending the ongoing fighting.
The signatories, members of an elite training program for recruits expressed their support for a similar letter recently issued by Air Force reservists.
“The call to save the hostages, both civilians and soldiers, is a basic moral imperative rooted in the values by which we were raised and served,” they wrote. “It is the government's duty to act in this matter. We join the many voices following the letter by Air Force reservists, urging an end to the fighting and the return of the hostages. We condemn any attempts to silence the voices of our fellow citizens, who serve, contribute, and are deeply concerned.”
The signatories argued that continuing the fighting does not serve security interests and warned of severe consequences.
“At this point, the war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security objectives. Continuing the fighting will not achieve any of its stated goals and will lead to more deaths—of hostages, IDF soldiers, and innocent civilians—and to the exhaustion of our reservists. History has shown that agreements can bring hostages home safely, whereas military pressure often results in more deaths and endangers our soldiers. We call on all Israeli citizens to mobilize and demand action wherever possible.”
The Talpiot program, which includes nine years of academic schooling as well as six years of military service, trains recruits who demonstrate outstanding academic ability for senior research and development positions across Israel's defense establishment.
A senior military source responded to the letter, noting that the IDF had taken notice of petitions signed by Talpiot and Military Intelligence reservists. “There’s a concerted effort to determine who among them is actively serving and who is retired,” the source said. “It’s clear that the opinions of retired officers and soldiers do not carry operational weight, but it does raise a serious question about internal discourse within the units. Commanders are expected to address this internally, rather than waiting for petitions to surface on social media.”
The source also pointed out that current assessments suggest most signatories are not on active duty.
“There was no need for an emergency meeting. Each case is being reviewed individually. It’s unacceptable for a reservist officer or soldier to lead a mission in the morning and then publicly oppose it by evening. That creates a crisis of trust. Contrary to what some may think, the issue is being addressed.”
This letter joins a growing wave of protests from within the defense establishment regarding the ongoing fighting in Gaza. On Sunday, some 200 reservist doctors and 250 former Mossad personnel published letters calling for a ceasefire.
“We believe that continued fighting endangers the lives of hostages and our soldiers. Every effort must be made to reach an agreement that will end the suffering. We call on the government to make courageous decisions for the security of the country and its citizens,” wrote the Mossad veterans, including three former directors—Danny Yatom, Efraim Halevy, and Tamir Pardo.
Last Thursday, hundreds of current and former Air Force members took out an unusual advertisement in Israel Hayom, calling for the hostages' return, even if it meant an immediate end to the fighting. “We demand the immediate return of the hostages, even at the cost of stopping the war,” they wrote, adding, “The war serves political and personal interests, while only an agreement can bring the hostages home safely.”
They argued that continuing the fighting only increased the risk of further casualties. “We call on all Israeli citizens to mobilize and demand an end to the fighting and the return of the hostages,” they wrote. “Military pressure mainly leads to the death of hostages and endangers our soldiers. Only a political solution can end the crisis and bring our loved ones home safely.”
As of now, the IDF has not formally responded to the Talpiot letter and is still considering how to address the signatories. On Friday, reports emerged that veterans of Unit 8200 also plan to release a similar letter, though no such document has been made public yet.