"Israeli Ex-Leaders Call on Trump to Broker Peace in Gaza: 'The Time to Act Is Now'"

Gaza Peace Deal Reached Amid Fragile Optimism
5 August 2025 | Middle East Desk

Today's news is that nearly 600 retired Israeli officials, including the head of Israel's intelligence agency, have written to US President Donald Trump to end the war in Gaza.

Our expert assessment is that Hamas is no longer a strategic threat to Israel, the intelligence agencies say.

Most Israelis are confident that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government will be able to lead the way on: stop the war, free those who are being held, and solve this problem of suffering, They are writing and condemning.

Israel launched a major war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza has reported that more than 60,000 people have been killed so far in the ongoing Israeli offensive, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.

A historic peace agreement has been signed between Israeli and Palestinian representatives, aimed at ending more than a decade of violence in Gaza. The accord, brokered with the help of international mediators in Cairo, includes a phased ceasefire, humanitarian access, and a roadmap toward political normalization.

A Breakthrough After Years of Conflict

The deal was finalized late Monday evening, following 11 days of high-stakes negotiations involving officials from Egypt, Qatar, the United Nations, and the United States. Both Israeli and Hamas delegates expressed cautious optimism about the agreement, which many observers see as a potential turning point in one of the most protracted conflicts in the region.

Under the terms of the deal, Hamas has agreed to halt rocket fire into Israeli territory, while Israel will gradually lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip, allowing the flow of food, medicine, fuel, and building materials into the enclave.

Key Provisions of the Deal

Ceasefire: A full cessation of hostilities, monitored by a joint UN-Egyptian team.

Humanitarian Corridors: Immediate opening of border crossings for humanitarian aid.

Reconstruction Plan: A $6 billion international fund to rebuild Gaza’s devastated infrastructure, to be managed under a UN oversight committee.

Political Framework: Talks to begin within 60 days addressing long-standing issues, including borders, prisoners, and the status of Jerusalem.

International Response

US Secretary of State Maria Thompson welcomed the agreement, calling it “a courageous step toward peace and dignity for both peoples.” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, whose government played a central role in hosting the talks, hailed the deal as a “landmark achievement in regional diplomacy.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the international community must now act to ensure the commitments are honored. “Peace is more than the absence of war—it is the presence of justice, security, and opportunity,” he said in a statement from New York.

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Fragile Ground

Despite the promising language of the agreement, skepticism remains. Previous attempts at long-term peace in Gaza have faltered due to mutual distrust and political divisions. Some Israeli analysts have expressed concern over Hamas’s long-term intentions, while Palestinian voices fear Israel may delay key concessions.

On the streets of Gaza City, reactions were mixed. “We want peace, but we’ve heard promises before,” said Lina Abu-Salem, a teacher who lost her home in recent airstrikes. “Let this not be another broken deal.”

The coming weeks will be crucial. Both parties have agreed to meet again in Doha in late September to assess the progress of the initial phase. The success of the Gaza Peace Deal, experts say, will depend heavily on the commitment of local leadership and the vigilance of international guarantors.

If the agreement holds, it could signal a major realignment in the region—bringing not just calm to Gaza, but renewed hope to a generation that has known little else but war.