Former Israeli intelligence chiefs call for an end to war on Gaza
Palestinians return from a GHF food distribution point near the Netsarim corridor in central Gaza Strip on 3 August 2025
Middle East Eye reports on 4 August 2025:
A range of former Israeli intelligence chiefs have called for an end to the war on Gaza.
In a video carried by Israeli media outlets on Sunday, former heads of Mossad, Shin Bet, police and military intelligence all urged an end to what is now Israel’s longest war since its foundation.
They also announced they had sent a letter, signed by 550 former security officials, to US President Donald Trump requesting that he pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the issue. “Stop the Gaza War! On behalf of [Commanders for Israel’s Security], Israel’s largest group of former IDF (Israeli army) generals and Mossad, Shin Bet, Police, and Diplomatic Corps equivalents, we urge you to end the Gaza war,” it read. “You did it in Lebanon. Time to do it in Gaza as well.”
Signatories include five former heads of Shin Bet – Ami Ayalon, Nadav Argaman, Yoram Cohen, Yaakov Peri and Carmi Gillon – and three former military chiefs of staff, including former prime minister Ehud Barak, as well as former defence minister Moshe Yaalon.
The letter cited the plight of the Israeli captives in Gaza, which along with the Palestinians are suffering the effects of an imposed Israeli aid blockade, as a primary reason to end the fighting.
“It is our professional judgment that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel, and our experience tells us that Israel has all it takes to deal with its residual terror capabilities, remotely or otherwise,” they said.
“Chasing remaining senior Hamas operatives can be done later. Our hostages can’t wait.”