More than 600 former Israeli security chiefs urge Trump to end Gaza war
The appeal was made in a letter sent to Trump on Sunday. Its signatories include former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon and former deputy Israeli army chief Matan Vilnai. They called for pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the nearly two-year conflict, which has devastated Gaza.
The letter was sent as a furore grows over videos released by Palestinian groups showing two emaciated Israeli captives held in Gaza, where more than two million Palestinians are struggling to survive the starvation crisis.
'Everything that could be achieved by force has been achieved. The hostages cannot wait any longer,' the Commanders for Israel's Security (CIS) group said in a post on X, where it shared the letter.
The letter said the Israeli army has achieved two of its three objectives by force, 'dismantling Hamas' military formations and governance', but the third, bringing back all Israeli captives, can 'only be achieved through a deal'.
'Stop the Gaza War! On behalf of CIS, Israel's largest group of former [military] generals and Mossad, Shin Bet, Police, and Diplomatic Corps equivalents, we urge you to end the Gaza war,' the letter read.
'You did it in Lebanon. Time to do it in Gaza as well,' it added.
אנו נמצאים בחלון הזדמנויות נדיר להובלת מהלך אזורי ובינלאומי לשינוי יסודי ברצועה.לטראמפ יש את היכולת לעשות זאת.
בשם 550 בכירי עבר מכל זרועות הביטחון ושירות החוץ שלחנו מכתב לנשיא טראמפ: עצור את המלחמה והשב את החטופים.
כל מה שניתן להשיג בכוח – הושג. החטופים לא יכולים להמתין עוד.… pic.twitter.com/4gWFC0W9PV
— מפקדים למען ביטחון ישראל (@cisorgil) August 3, 2025
Translation: We are at a rare window of opportunity to lead a regional and international move for a fundamental change in the Gaza Strip. Trump has the ability to do this. On behalf of 550 former senior officials from all branches of security and foreign service, we sent a letter to President Trump: Stop the war and bring back the hostages. Everything that could be achieved by force has been achieved. The hostages cannot wait any longer. This is the moment of truth. We call on President Trump to exert his full influence and do this – now!
The security chiefs said Trump's credibility rests on his ability to steer Netanyahu 'in the right direction'.
Gaza turned into rubble
On Sunday, Hamas said it was open to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delivering aid to Israeli captives in Gaza after Netanyahu said he requested the Geneva-based international organisation to step in.
Netanyahu has denied starvation is taking place in Gaza among Palestinians, instead claiming that Israeli captives held there are facing 'systematic starvation'.
The Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, has said the captives 'eat what our fighters and all our people eat'.
'They will not receive any special privilege amid the crime of starvation and siege,' the group's spokesman, known as Abu Obeida, said.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has conducted a war on Gaza since October 7, 2023, killing more than 60,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
The military campaign has reduced the enclave to rubble and brought it to the verge of famine.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave. Multiple rights organisations have called Israel's war a genocide.
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