More than a dozen former senior Israeli security officials issued a joint video message Sunday with a call to end the war in Gaza, arguing that Israel has racked up more losses than victories and that the fighting has dragged on for political reasons rather than strategic military need.

Among the 19 retired IDF chiefs of staff, intelligence chiefs, Shin Bet and Mossad directors, and police commissioners backing the clip were former prime minister  and IDF chief Ehud Barak and former IDF chiefs of staff Moshe Ya’alon and Dan Halutz; ex-Shin Bet directors Nadav Argaman, Yoram Cohen, Ami Ayalon, Yaakov Peri and Carmi Gillon; ex-Mossad chiefs Tamir Pardo, Efraim Halevy and Danny Yatom; and former Israel Police commissioners Dudi Cohen, Moshe Karadi, Rafi Peled and Assaf Hefetz.

Many of those featured in the video have previously criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the coalition’s handling of the war.

“Each of these people sat in cabinet meetings, operated in the inner circles, attended all the most sensitive decision-making processes,” a voiceover at the start of the video says by way of introduction. “Together, they have more than a thousand years’ experience in national security and diplomacy.”

Government critics say Netanyahu is avoiding agreeing on a permanent end to the war and the return of the 50 hostages still in captivity in order to preserve his coalition, which relies on far-right parties that insist on continuing the fight and whose leaders have voiced their desire to permanently conquer Gaza, push out its residents, and resettle it with Jews.

In the English-subtitled video, the men argue that the fighting in Gaza could have ended long ago and demand that Israel end the war with a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive hostage deal that will see the release of all 50 remaining hostages in one fell swoop.

????Israeli Security Chiefs Through the Decades “End the war and bring the hostages home!” ????????????????

This is an extraordinary call, unlike anything we've seen in Israel. Almost everyone who was once at the wheel of a major security organization:

Nadav Argaman, Shin Bet Director
Tamir… pic.twitter.com/JCCgMD6XHj

— UnXeptable (@UnxeptableD) August 3, 2025

“We have a........

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