An Open Letter to President Trump

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will be “very firm” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the need to end the war in Gaza when the premier visits Washington next week.

Speaking to reporters, Trump also said that Netanyahu “wants it too,” referring to a hostage-ceasefire deal that would bring an end to the Gaza war.

Earlier Tuesday, the president repeated his prediction that a ceasefire and hostage release deal would be reached shortly. “I think we’ll have a deal next week,” he said. (Times of Israel, July 1, 2025)

Dear Mr. Trump,

I am writing to you as a concerned citizen of both Israel and the USA since I am very worried about what I read and hear about the probable agreement taking shape between Israel and Hamas, under your tutelage.

Apparently, there is an agreement brewing for a 60-day cease-fire and the return of 28 of the 50 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza (some alive and most dead). While this may be somewhat good news, it is insufficient. Will this cease-fire be only temporary again? Or will it really lead to the end of this horrific war, which is the desire of most Israelis and Palestinians in the region and most of the rest of the world?

I am writing to you at this time to express my deep disappointment at this partial deal, after all this time. Let me explain.

We in Israel have been longing for an end to this war and the return of all the hostages, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, for many months. A partial deal is too little, too late. We need this horrible war to end so as to restore sanity and stability to Israel, Palestine and the region. It has gone on for much too long, with much too much death and destruction, and there is no “total victory” in sight.

The Israel Defense Forces, with the help of American arms, has destroyed most of the Gaza Strip, rendered most of the population homeless and hungry (if not starving), and has destroyed much of the Hamas military leadership and infrastructure. Enough! Just as we did not achieve “total victory” in Lebanon or in Iran, we will not achieve it in Gaza. Rather, it is now time for diplomacy.

Moreover,  the heads of the IDF have made it clear to the government and to the public in Israel in recent days that there is not much more to be done in Gaza now, and that redeeming the hostages is a higher priority than continuing this war at this point. They too are urging diplomacy now.

We cannot tolerate this war anymore, and we do not want it to continue anymore. Too many lives are being lost, on both sides, every day, for no real purpose.

This war has already taken a severe toll on the physical and mental health of the citizens of Israel, most of whom are in varying states of trauma and post-trauma. We have never lived through such a long and costly war. It is causing tremendous anxiety and depression among most of the people of Israel, thousands of whom have lost their homes and their livelihoods.

Our economy is in ruins. Our tourist industry has been completely wiped out—nobody is visiting Israel this summer, the restaurants and hotels are empty of foreign visitors. International conferences and seminars in Israel are being cancelled right and left, etc., etc. The inflation due to this ongoing war is staggering, including the price of airplane tickets, as well as food and housing.

More importantly, our souls are shattered. We are sick and tired of the constant massacres of hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza, especially women and children, on an almost daily basis, since the war was renewed in March. And we are heartbroken by the unnecessary deaths of so many Israeli soldiers in what has become a pointless war of attrition. Moreover, we are still shaken to the core by running to our “safe rooms” for so many months, especially since we discovered during the 12-day war with Iran that our apartments and neighborhoods were not quite as impenetrable as we had hoped.

For all these reasons, I appeal to you now (and I think that I speak for the overwhelming majority of Israeli citizens) to END THE WAR NOW! Don’t satisfy yourselves with a temporary cease-fire and the return of only some of the hostages. Get the whole thing done now.

President Trump– You know well that Bibi wants to keep the war going to preserve his coalition. Most of the people of Israel reject this cynical approach. In fact, we are looking forward to elections, the sooner the better.  We would like to bring this coalition down in order to save what is left of Israeli democracy and morality. You need to be forceful with him, as you have said publicly that you will do, and not give in to his illogical and irrational desire to keep the war going. You have said many times that you want to bring peace and prosperity to the region. Now is the time to do it. Do not allow him any more delays, no more shticks and tricks. Bring peace to us, not just a ceasefire. This will enhance your legacy in America, Israel, and the world.

Sincerely,

Ron Kronish

A citizen of Israel and the USA