Arrested. Confidential document. Critics have also raised concerns about leaks that could have damaged efforts to free hostages held by Hamas in an attempt to publicly cover up Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to agree to a cease-fire agreement. points out. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was embroiled in a scandal on Monday over an incident involving one of his aides that shocked the country.
The flare-up, which was brought into public view on Sunday night after an Israeli court relaxed a gag order, infuriated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political opponents and the families of the hostages. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and distanced himself from the incident, but critics have used the Gaza document in friendly media to shore up their hard-line position amid stalled ceasefire talks. It alleges that the information is being leaked, endangering the lives of hostages and national security.
The Rishon-le-Zion Magistrate’s Court ruled on Sunday that an investigation has been launched following allegations that “classified information” was illegally removed within the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). said that it was done. IDF system.
The court ruled that the act not only could have caused “grave harm to national security and endangerment of sources” but also “an attempt to free hostages captured during Hamas’ October 7 fighting.” He said it may have undermined the company’s goals. , 2023, terrorist incident.
The court identified the main suspect in the case as Eliezer Feldstein. Israeli media reported that he was one of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s media advisers.
In addition to Mr. Feldstein, three other people the court described as “detainees involved in the operation” were also questioned. The court has not yet released them.
Israeli media have reported that the allegedly leaked information was the basis for several articles on Hamas’ approach to the hostage crisis, including one published by the London-based Jewish Chronicle newspaper. It was included, but was later withdrawn after widespread criticism. NBC News could not independently confirm the report.
An article in the Jewish Chronicle suggests that Hamas plans to transfer hostages from Gaza via Egypt, while another article published by Germany’s Bild newspaper suggests that Hamas plans to move hostages from Gaza through Egypt as a form of psychological warfare against Israel. It was reported that negotiations on a cease-fire agreement were underway.
Both articles drew skepticism from Israeli observers given their timing and the apparent cover they gave Netanyahu for intentionally sabotaging ceasefire negotiations.
“There was something very suspicious about them, and the timing of everything,” Crisis Group’s Israel senior analyst Mayrav Zonszein said in a phone interview Monday.
The Jewish Chronicle and Bild did not respond to requests for comment.
The report emerged as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on Israeli control of the Gaza Strip and the Philadelphia Corridor along the border with Egypt, a demand that has become a major bottleneck in ceasefire negotiations. They also come as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing anger from hostages’ families and many in the country for refusing to agree to a cease-fire agreement after six hostages were killed in Hamas custody. It also happened at.
Israeli media have reported some details of the investigation, and the gag order was partially lifted last week, but the decisive and explosive charges were only revealed on Sunday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement before the ruling that the allegedly leaked material had not reached the prime minister’s office from the Directorate General of Military Intelligence and that Netanyahu learned about the documents from the media.
It added that the aides involved in the alleged information leak “never participated in any security discussions, did not disclose or receive classified information, and did not participate in any secret visits.”
But political opponents, families of the hostages and critics expressed anger at the possible involvement of one of Netanyahu’s top aides.
Jonathan Dekerchen, whose son Sagi was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, said: “Once again I’m disappointed, but not surprised by this government.”
“I feel completely betrayed, not only as the father of the hostages, but also as a citizen of Israel,” he said in a phone interview Monday.
Dekerchen said that if the allegations raised in the investigation were true, this would be the latest in a “long” series of moments in which Netanyahu’s government “fabricated reasons not to proceed with the negotiation process.”
Gil Dickman’s cousin, Carmel Gatto, was one of six hostages killed in Hamas captivity. The incident sparked national outrage shortly before media reports were published.
He cited the timing, but said if the aim was to sway public opinion, “it didn’t work,” pointing to large demonstrations in the days that followed demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu call for a ceasefire.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum, which represents families of people held by Hamas, said in a statement that at least one of Netanyahu’s top aides may have “worked to undermine public support” for the deal. He expressed “outrage and deep concern.” .
Benny Gantz, who resigned in June from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet, which was dissolved in June, said in X: “If sensitive security information was stolen and used as a tool for a political survival movement, it would be a mere criminal offense.” It’s not a national crime,” he said.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid denied claims by Netanyahu’s office that Prime Minister Netanyahu had no prior knowledge of the allegedly leaked material.
“If Prime Minister Netanyahu had had his aides steal documents, place spies within the IDF, forge documents, expose intelligence sources, and pass classified documents to foreign media outlets in order to thwart the hostage trade, If he doesn’t know, then what *does* he know?” Lapid said in X.
Zonsein, Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Israel, said that even if Netanyahu was not directly involved, the alleged leak was “a well-established group already accustomed to obtaining classified information and manipulating it for political purposes.” “It would have arisen from a well-oiled machine”.
But she said that was “not surprising at all.”
“I think this is kind of further evidence for people who are already convinced that Prime Minister Netanyahu was toying with the public consciousness and had no interest in the hostage deal,” she said.
