Former Israeli defence chiefs ask Trump to end war, current chief may resign

A group of around 600 retired Israeli security officials — including former heads of Mossad, Shin Bet, and former Chiefs of Staff — have written to US President Donald Trump, urging him to pressure Israel to immediately end the war in Gaza.

"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," the officials state.

The letter clearly diverges from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stated prioritisation of wiping out Hamas over releasing the hostages, stating "Chasing remaining senior Hamas operatives can be done later. Our hostages can’t wait.”

The security experts appealed directly to Trump to intervene. "Your credibility with the vast majority of Israelis augments your ability to steer Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government in the right direction: End the war, return the hostages, stop the suffering."

The letter was signed by high-ranking members of Commanders for Israel's Security (CIS), including , former Director of Mossad Tamir Pardo, former head of Shin Bet Ami Ayalon, former Commissioner of Israel Police Assaf Hefetz, and former IDF Depurty Chief of Staff Matan Vilnai.

In a video released alongside the letter, former Shin Bet director Ami Ayalon said “We have a duty to stand up and say what we have to say. We are on the precipice of defeat. The war started as a just and defensive war. But once we achieved all its military objectives — a brilliant military victory — it stopped being a just war. This is leading the State of Israel to the loss of its security and identity.”