550 former Israeli security officials urge Trump to press Netanyahu for a ceasefire

Hundreds of retired Israeli security officials, including former intelligence chiefs, have written an open letter to US President Donald Trump, urging him to pressure the Israeli government to end the Gaza War.

According to AFP, in the letter signed by 550 individuals, the retired officials stated, “Our professional assessment is that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel.”

The letter, also signed by former heads of security agencies like Shin Bet and Mossad, called on Trump to push Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu towards a ceasefire.

In a video message accompanying the letter, former Shin Bet Director Ami Ayalon said the war was initially “justified and defensive” but “ceased to be a just war after all military objectives were met.” Ayalon emphasized that the war, now approaching its 23rd month, is “causing Israel to lose its security and identity.”

Former Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman stated, “We are now mostly just trying to recover our losses.”

Former Mossad Director Tamir Pardo issued a harsher warning, stating, “We are on the verge of defeat.” Referring to the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the war in Gaza, Pardo said, “The picture the world sees today is a picture we created with our own hands. The lie we hid behind was sold to the Israeli people, but the world has long since realized that it does not align with reality.”

Former Defense Minister and Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon also pointed to a “messianic minority” that is pulling the war in an “irrational direction,” stating, “We currently have a government under the influence of a minority that is pulling us in an irrational direction. This minority is shaping policy.”

Former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen commented, “Those who think we can find every terrorist, eliminate every weapon, and bring all the hostages home at the same time are dreaming.”

As international pressure on Israel has increased in recent weeks due to reports of starvation deaths from Gaza, the call for a ceasefire that would secure the release of hostages in Gaza and allow the UN to deliver humanitarian aid is gaining strength.

However, some ministers in Netanyahu’s coalition advocate for continuing the attacks and for the full or partial occupation of Gaza.

The signatories of the open letter include three former Mossad Directors (Tamir Pardo, Efraim Halevy, and Danny Yatom), five former Shin Bet Directors (Ami Ayalon, Nadav Argaman, Yoram Cohen, Yaakov Peri, and Carmi Gilon), and three former Chiefs of Staff (former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, and Dan Halutz).

The letter asserts that the Israeli army has already achieved two militarily attainable goals: “the dismantling of Hamas’s armed structure and its governing capacity.” However, according to the letter, the most important goal—the safe return of all hostages to their homes—can only be achieved through an agreement.

The letter conveyed the message that the military operation could be postponed, stating, “Pursuing the surviving senior members of Hamas can be done later.”

The retired security officials, addressing Trump, noted his significant influence among the Israeli people, suggesting that his pressure on Netanyahu could be decisive for both ending the war and securing the return of the hostages.

The letter also stated that after a potential ceasefire, Trump could form a coalition to provide regional support for a renewed Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza as an alternative to Hamas.