Stop the Unjust War in Gaza: A Message from 550 Former Israeli Officials to Trump

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“It’s no longer a just war… it must end now.” With these words, hundreds of retired Israeli officials urged former U.S. President Donald Trump to pressure Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

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The letter, signed by 550 former senior security officials, asserts that the campaign — now nearing its 23rd month — is no longer a just war and is causing Israel to lose both its security and identity.

The letter argues that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel and calls on Trump to pressure the Israeli Prime Minister to agree to a ceasefire that would lead to the return of the remaining hostages.

Among the signatories are former heads of Israel’s Shin Bet (internal security), Mossad (foreign intelligence agency), three former IDF chiefs of staff — including former Prime Minister Ehud Barak — and two former Defense Ministers.

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Occupation of Gaza

The message comes as Prime Minister Netanyahu announced Monday evening that his government had decided to move forward with a full occupation of the Gaza Strip.

According to a statement from his office, this includes conducting military operations throughout Gaza — including in areas where hostages are believed to be held — marking a significant shift in Israeli strategy, which previously avoided such areas for fear of endangering hostages.

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The “Gideon’s Chariot” operation — a major escalation launched last May — has now concluded. But it failed to defeat Hamas or compel it to release the hostages, the initial justifications for the war, according to The Telegraph. The war has instead severely damaged Israel’s global reputation, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, mass displacement, and widespread hunger.

Military analysts broadly agree that Israel has dismantled Hamas’s capacity to fight as a conventional militant army. However, the group still inflicts heavy losses through small, scattered units.

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Military Objectives Achieved

The letter states: “Our professional assessment is that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel.”

Ami Ayalon, former head of Shin Bet and one of the prominent signatories, said: “At first, this was a just and defensive war. But once all the military objectives were achieved, it ceased to be just.”

The letter continues: Israel has already accomplished what could be achieved militarily — dismantling Hamas’s military infrastructure and governance. The third and most crucial objective, the return of hostages, can only be secured through a political deal.

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On Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel seeks a “decisive military victory” — a stance that has alarmed families of the hostages.

Leveraging the momentum from what was deemed a symbolic victory over Iran in June, the White House has increased pressure on both Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations — the longest round of talks so far. Yet they collapsed without an agreement, with each side accusing the other of making unrealistic demands.

Although Trump remains a staunch supporter of both Israel and Netanyahu, he has recently expressed concern over the suffering of ordinary Gazans and signaled a desire to end the conflict.

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It remains unclear whether Trump will go as far as issuing a direct order to halt the fighting — or if Netanyahu would comply.

Several of the signatories emphasized their authority to speak out, claiming to possess “over 1,000 years” of combined experience in such matters.

They praised past victories over Hezbollah and Iran but warned: “We are now undoing those gains. Our achievements in Gaza are extremely limited, and the international damage is severe.”

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