550 Ex-Mossad and Shin Bet Chiefs Urge Trump to End the Gaza Genocide Now
Every former Mossad and Shin Bet chief still alive have begged for an end to their country's military action in Gaza
More than 550 former Israeli security officials, including ex-directors of Mossad, Shin Bet, and senior military commanders, have taken the extraordinary step of appealing directly to Donald Trump to intervene and stop Benjamin Netanyahu's war in Gaza.
The letter, sent in recent days, warns that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat and that Israel's military goals in Gaza have been met. Continuing the war, they say, will only prolong bloodshed, deepen Israel's diplomatic isolation, and push the region further into the abyss. The signatories stress that the only viable next step is diplomacy, securing a hostage release deal and laying the groundwork for a post-war Gaza that is not ruled by Hamas.
This appeal comes in the shadow of a war widely described by human rights groups, UN experts, and legal scholars as a genocide against the Palestinian people. By international law standards, the scale of destruction, targeted deprivation of food and medicine, and forced displacement constitute grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. Yet the letter makes no mention of famine, mass civilian deaths, or the legal definition of genocide. The omission underscores that this is not an act of humanitarian solidarity but a strategic intervention, driven by political calculation and concern for Israel's long-term standing rather than the lives of Palestinians.
For these former officials to intervene now is both an admission that the military campaign has reached a political dead end and a recognition that Israel is steering itself into permanent pariah status.
The officials argue that the war has crossed the point of diminishing returns. "Hamas has been dismantled as a military and governmental force," the letter says in essence. "Further operations only risk Israeli lives, global legitimacy, and deepen the case against Israel under international law." Their message directly challenges Netanyahu's insistence that total military victory remains within reach.
By invoking Trump, a leader who openly embraces Netanyahu, the signatories are gambling on his personal sway within Israel's right-wing establishment. They want him to push Netanyahu into a negotiated deal, potentially brokered with Arab states and backed by an international coalition, that would see a reformed Palestinian Authority take over governance in Gaza.
The letter comes amid growing international pressure for a ceasefire and intensifying domestic criticism of Netanyahu's war strategy. While Biden has publicly called for restraint, his administration has stopped short of demanding a halt to the offensive. Trump, meanwhile, has avoided explicitly condemning the war but has positioned himself as an outsider who could "broker a real deal," a posture the ex-officials appear to be exploiting.
It is unclear whether Trump will respond, but the appeal is a sign of desperation from within Israel's own security establishment. For decades, retired intelligence chiefs have occasionally clashed with sitting governments over strategy, but never before have so many acted in unison, nor aimed their plea squarely at a foreign leader.
If Trump takes up their call, it could mark a turning point in the war. If he ignores it, the letter will still stand as a stark warning: that even Israel's own top security veterans believe the Gaza campaign has crossed into criminal territory, and that ending it is now a matter of national survival and compliance with international law.