Over 200 ex-senior Israel police officials join call to end Gaza war to secure hostage return

The outgoing police chief Ami Eshed at the ceremony on 16 April 2025

Bar Peleg and Noa Shpigel report in Haaretz on 16 April 2025:

Over two hundred former Israeli police officers, including eight ex-police chiefs, called on Wednesday for the return of all hostages, even if it means ending the Gaza war.

Many of the signatories are former district commanders, including former Tel Aviv District Commander Ami Eshed, who was ousted in 2023 by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and former Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, who was fired over what was perceived by the far-right minister as lenient policy toward protesters against the judicial coup.

The letter was also signed by former Israel Prison Service head Aharon Franco and former commander Danny Elgart, whose brother Itzhak Elgarat was murdered in Hamas captivity and whose body was brought back to Israel in February.

The call of former police officers joins the wave of letters distributed over the past week by former members of Israel’s defense establishment, following the letter published by Israel Air Force reservists. The letter’s drafters emphasized that the hostages could currently only be returned through an agreement but did not call to refuse service.

The letter issued by former police officers stated that they supported the Air Force veterans’ protest, which led the IDF chief and Air Force Commander to dismiss them from duty. They added that, having spent most of their lives serving Israel’s security alongside the IDF, Shin Bet, and other security organizations, they “were educated and have been educated on the values of kindness and mutual responsibility.”

Last week, nearly 1,000 active and retired Israel Air Force reservists signed a letter that sent shockwaves through Israeli society.  The writers called for the immediate return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas through a negotiated deal – and an end to the fighting in Gaza, which they said is being driven by personal and political motives rather than national security. They also urged the people of Israel to make the same demands – wherever they may be and in whatever way they can.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government have framed the letters as a call to refuse military service during wartime – and as a boon to the enemy.

Last week, Netanyahu said the letters “were written by a small group of radicals, operated by foreign-funded organizations with one goal – to overthrow the right-wing government.”  “This is not a wave. It’s not a movement. It’s a small, noisy, anarchistic, and disconnected group of pensioners – most of whom haven’t served in years,” he added.

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