Israeli writer: Accumulated reasons pushing towards ending the Gaza war

The Hebrew newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" published an editorial on September 3, 2025, by writer Merav Bitito, in which she recounts several reasons for ending the war and presents a series of justifications that she sees as sufficient to put an end to the reckless aggression of the Israeli occupation ongoing in Gaza.

Bitito pointed out that: "What the Chief of Staff said, as a senior military reference and a full partner in political decisions." The article also warned that: "The step of occupying Gaza endangers the lives of the hostages, and there is no point in entering the city crowded with fighters and tunnels without a pre-arranged plan for military governance, at a time when soldiers are suffering from fatigue and exhaustion."

Bitito noted that the state of the Israeli occupation, as a Jewish state, is prohibited by the Torah from sacrificing its children, considering that: "The prisoners and soldiers have become part of a continuous ritual of worship for blood and land," while she pointed out that: "Without a single rabbi appearing to stop this 'collective worship,' rather, the war leaders continue what she described as 'desecration in the name of the Lord' by exhausting more families."

The writer relied on history to affirm that long wars do not yield better results, referring to the testimony of the father of one of the soldiers who compared the ongoing war in Gaza for two years to the Vietnam War, which lasted twenty years, and called for an "Israeli Nixon" to free themselves from illusions, reminding that most successful wars in the last century were relatively short.

The writer considered that the state of the Israeli occupation is not actually ready to continue fighting, as recruitment data does not reflect reality, where silent rejection of reserve service is increasing, while the army manipulates the announced compliance rate, while many soldiers prefer to stay with their families after repeated rounds of summons.

The writer pointed out that: "The Chief of Staff who is shouting for change, and the head of the Shin Bet who resigned and took responsibility, up to the state comptroller and police leaders who see that public trust is taking a fatal blow."

She added that: "The Ministry of Health published new research showing that one in three Israelis suffers from anxiety or depression due to the war, which is double the rate compared to the period before October 7, amid the collapse of mental health services and the government's inability to provide an appropriate response."

The writer addressed the economic cost, noting that: "The cost of living has reached record levels while state funds are going to finance shells more than ever, and budgets for civilian ministries are facing continuous cuts, while the stock market plummets and the credit rating weakens, while reserve soldiers with interests and workers pay the price of their long absence from their jobs."

She mentioned international isolation, confirming that the state of the Israeli occupation has become ostracized in the West, and that heads of state are retracting previous promises and ignoring the rise of anti-Semitism in their countries.

The writer considered that the Israeli occupation government clings to the slogan "A people alone dwells" while the outside world is the one that determines the final word.

She added another reason, which is the loss of faith in humanity, civil unity, and the ability for national rehabilitation, warning that: "The continuation of the war without end reduces the resources allocated for healing wounds," affirming that there is nothing Israelis want more than the day when "this nightmare" ends, through a comprehensive deal that returns the prisoners, ends the war, and allows soldiers to return home safely.

Bitito concluded by saying that: "These combined reasons make ending the war an urgent necessity, not only to save the soldiers and hostages but also to restore hope to the people and their future."