An alleged intelligence leak from Benjamin Netanyahu's office has ballooned into a major scandal after an Israeli court partially lifted a gag order, saying the affair may have undermined efforts to reach a hostage deal in the Gaza war. Four people have been arrested, including a spokesperson for the prime minister and three security establishment members.
The central suspect, Eliezer Feldstein, allegedly leaked and doctored Hamas strategy documents found by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza. The manipulated material suggested Hamas planned to drag out talks and smuggle hostages to Egypt. Reports based on the documents appeared in the Jewish Chronicle and Bild in September, but were later retracted after the IDF launched an investigation.
The court stated the leak 'harmed the achievement of Israel's war aims'. Netanyahu's critics say the articles bolstered his demand for Israeli troops to remain on the Gaza-Egypt border, a condition that stalled negotiations. The prime minister has long been accused of stalling a deal to appease his far-right coalition partners and avoid prosecution on corruption charges.
The Hostage Families Forum demanded an investigation against those suspected of 'sabotage and undermining state security', calling it 'one of the greatest frauds in the country’s history'. Netanyahu denies any involvement, and his office claims Feldstein never participated in security discussions or accessed classified information.
Feldstein, a 32-year-old former employee of far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was arrested on 27 October and remanded until his next hearing. If charged with leaking classified information and influencing public opinion, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
