In brief
Aliza Magen, who served the Mossad for over 40 years and was instrumental in major operations, passed away on April 14, 2025. As the highest-ranking woman in the agency's history, her contributions, including undercover missions in Europe and leadership roles, reshape the landscape of women in intelligence.
Aliza Magen, a prominent figure in Israel's national intelligence agency, the Mossad, passed away on April 14, 2025, in Jerusalem at the age of 87. With a career spanning approximately four decades, she notably became the highest-ranking woman in the history of the organization, having served as deputy under three different directors. Magen began her service in Mossad right after fulfilling her mandatory military duty, where her extensive experience saw her take on critical undercover roles across Europe, gathering intelligence and managing agents.Her work included significant operations that remain classified. A fluent German speaker, one of her earliest missions involved disrupting missile development efforts by German scientists aiding Egypt, which posed a direct threat to Israel's national security. From her operational base in Austria, she also succeeded in recruiting a former Nazi officer to work with the Mossad as an asset.In the 1970s, she was involved in Operation Wrath of God, a controversial campaign aimed at identifying and eliminating those responsible for the notorious 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, which resulted in the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes. After returning to Israel in the early 1980s, Magen took on the role of deputy head of the Mossad's Tzomet division, focusing on agent management and intelligence collection. Her career reflects both her exceptional skill and a significant shift in the role of women in the field of intelligence.
