Israeli PM Aide Arrested Over Alleged Classified Leak Amid Hostage Negotiations

Israeli police recently detained Eliezer Feldstein, a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under suspicions of leaking classified information to foreign media. The leaked intelligence, allegedly engineered to derail a potential ceasefire and hostage exchange deal with Hamas in Gaza, has sparked intense political backlash.

Opposition leaders claim the intelligence was fabricated as part of a strategic move to prevent a hostage release agreement. The alleged leak included details suggesting that Hamas intended to transport Israeli hostages across the Gaza-Egypt border, fueling concerns of societal division and pressuring Netanyahu toward a ceasefire. Court documents reveal that Feldstein, reportedly among others, is being questioned for the unauthorized release of this “sensitive intelligence,” which may have compromised Israel’s ability to recover hostages.

In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for Netanyahu denied any leaks from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and asserted that Feldstein had not been involved in security discussions. The PMO also dismissed claims that the leak influenced negotiations with Hamas, calling the accusation “ridiculous.”

The controversy escalated with statements from opposition leader Yair Lapid, who accused the PMO of using “faked secret documents” to obstruct a potential hostage exchange. Families of hostages detained by Hamas in Gaza joined the opposition in alleging that Netanyahu’s actions were calculated to prevent a deal, fearing that a ceasefire might prompt new elections.

The narrative promoted by Netanyahu gained traction in articles from the Jewish Chronicle and Germany’s Bild, both citing Israeli intelligence sources and supporting the claim that Hamas was attempting to smuggle hostages to Iran. This intelligence was presented as recent and credible, yet the IDF later clarified that the documents referenced were months old and not authored by senior Hamas officials. The IDF has since launched an investigation into this leak, calling it a “serious offense.”

Following the end of a court-ordered gag on Sunday, Israeli hostage families condemned the PMO, accusing it of orchestrating “one of the biggest deceptions in the country’s history.” Prominent opposition leaders, including Lapid and former Netanyahu ally Benny Gantz, seized on the scandal, calling it a “national crime” and demanding an independent probe to determine whether the alleged leak originated directly from Netanyahu’s orders.

As the investigation continues, the political climate in Israel remains tense, with accusations of deception, leaks, and public manipulation surrounding the ongoing conflict with Hamas.