The Israeli authorities are investigating a civilian who has been employed in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office for the past year, suspected of illegally obtaining and leaking classified documents to the media.
The leaked documents reportedly supported Netanyahu's rationale for imposing stringent new conditions on a cease-fire deal with Hamas during the summer, amid significant public pressure to secure the release of Israeli hostages and to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
This investigation has sparked considerable controversy in Israel, with critics accusing Netanyahu of undermining efforts to return hostages and prolonging the war in Gaza for political gain. Key members of his governing coalition have threatened to resign if he concedes to Hamas.
On Sunday, an Israeli court partially lifted a gag order, identifying Eliezer Feldstein, a spokesman in Netanyahu's office, as a suspect in the case. Three additional suspects, linked to the military and security establishment, remain unnamed.
The investigation focuses on the publication and manipulation of both real and purported intelligence information in foreign media outlets, according to Israeli news reports and an official who requested anonymity. A report by the London-based Jewish Chronicle, later retracted, claimed Hamas was planning to smuggle Israeli hostages from Gaza to Egypt. Another leaked classified document to the German newspaper Bild alleged that Hamas was attempting to sway Israeli public opinion and prolong negotiations.
The situation escalated on September 1, when the Israeli military announced the discovery of six Israeli hostages found dead in a Gaza tunnel, leading to nationwide protests and public outrage.
Approximately 100 individuals taken captive by Hamas on October 7, 2023, are still in Gaza, with at least a third confirmed dead by Israeli authorities.
On September 2, during a televised news conference, Netanyahu outlined new conditions for a cease-fire with Hamas, asserting the necessity of a permanent Israeli presence in the Philadelphi Corridor along Gaza's border with Egypt to prevent hostages from being smuggled into other countries.
He presented a handwritten document in Arabic, purportedly from high-ranking Hamas members, which he claimed was discovered by Israeli soldiers in a command post in Gaza. This document allegedly detailed strategies for increasing psychological pressure on Israel through media portrayals of hostages.
On September 5, following Netanyahu's news conference, the Jewish Chronicle published a report claiming that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing to flee Gaza, based on intelligence from a senior Hamas official interrogated by Israel. The report was later retracted, and the journalist involved was dropped by the publication.
On September 6, Bild published an article based on a Hamas document concerning its psychological warfare strategies against Israel, which echoed points made by Netanyahu. The Israeli military later clarified that the document was not authored by Sinwar and constituted a serious breach of security.
Netanyahu's office has denied any involvement in leaking information and has not been questioned regarding the allegations. The office described the investigation as selective and biased, asserting that many reports based on leaked information had been published without repercussions.
The public reaction has been intense, with some comparing the situation to the Watergate scandal. Prominent voices have criticized the government for its handling of the hostage situation and alleged breaches of trust.
Recent developments include a magistrate's court partially lifting the gag order, confirming that multiple individuals have been detained as part of a joint investigation by the Shin Bet, Israeli police, and military. The court indicated that the suspects are believed to have committed a security breach through the illegal transfer of classified information, jeopardizing sensitive information and the objectives of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.