Over 600 Former Israeli Security Chiefs Urge Trump to End Gaza War

Jerusalem, August 4, 2025 – More than 600 retired Israeli security officials, including former heads of Mossad, Shin Bet, and the Israeli military, have called on U.S. President Donald Trump to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza. The appeal, made in an open letter sent on Sunday, August 3, 2025, comes as global outrage grows over the deaths of dozens of Palestinians due to starvation amid Israel’s military campaign

The letter, signed by prominent figures such as former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon, and former deputy Israeli army chief Matan Vilnai, argues that the Israeli army has achieved its primary military objectives of dismantling Hamas’s military formations and governance. However, the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza can only be secured through a diplomatic deal, not further military action. “Everything that could be achieved by force has been achieved. The hostages cannot wait any longer,” stated the Commanders for Israel’s Security (CIS), the group behind the letter, in a post on X.

The CIS, representing Israel’s largest coalition of former military generals, intelligence officials, police, and diplomatic corps, urged Trump to leverage his influence with Netanyahu to halt the conflict. “Stop the Gaza War! You did it in Lebanon. Time to do it in Gaza as well,” the letter read, referencing Trump’s role in securing a ceasefire in Lebanon. The group emphasized that Trump’s credibility with Israelis positions him to “steer Netanyahu in the right direction” for a fundamental change in Gaza. The war, launched by Israel on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, has killed over 60,800 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, and reduced Gaza to rubble. The enclave faces a dire humanitarian crisis, with UN-backed agencies reporting famine conditions and at least 180 deaths from malnutrition, including 93 children. Netanyahu has denied claims of starvation among Palestinians, instead alleging that Israeli captives in Gaza face “systematic starvation.” Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, countered that captives “eat what our fighters and all our people eat,” rejecting special treatment amid the ongoing siege. On Sunday, Hamas expressed openness to the International Committee of the Red Cross delivering aid to captives following Netanyahu’s request to the organization. The letter’s release coincides with growing domestic and international pressure on Israel, including protests in Jerusalem demanding an end to the war and the release of hostages. Israeli media reports suggest Netanyahu is considering expanding military operations, a move opposed by the CIS and hostage families, who warn it endangers lives. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 against Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity, while Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice

The CIS letter underscores a shift toward diplomacy, with the group advocating for an international framework involving Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and a reformed Palestinian Authority to manage Gaza post-war. As ceasefire talks with Hamas stall, the appeal to Trump highlights the urgency of ending the conflict to secure the release of hostages and address Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe