An aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among the suspects arrested for allegedly leaking “classified and sensitive” information obtained illegally from the Israeli Defence Forces, an Israeli judge stated on Sunday.
According to Axios, the arrests of four suspects, including Netanyahu’s representative Eli Feldstein, are at the heart of a scandal that could become the biggest in the Israeli government since the start of the Gaza war.
The leak of classified information may have caused “serious harm” to efforts to free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, noted the judge.
The main question is whether Netanyahu was aware of or involved in the leaks, which appear to have been aimed at swaying Israeli public opinion to support his hard stance on the hostage release and the ceasefire in Gaza.
The case was under judicial gag order until a judge allowed some details to be disclosed on Friday.
Israeli officials reported that several weeks ago, the Israeli Defence Forces asked Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, to begin an investigation after a classified report was leaked to a German newspaper.
The newspaper Bild published an article in early September based on a document supposedly written by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, outlining Hamas’s strategies for negotiations on hostages and a ceasefire.
A joint investigation by Shin Bet, Israeli police, and the IDF led to the arrest of several suspects.
The investigation focused on the “security risk due to the unlawful provision of classified information,” which endangered “sensitive information and sources” and obstructed efforts to achieve war goals in the Gaza Strip, according to the judge.
Four suspects, including Feldstein and security personnel, have been arrested and are being questioned.
Netanyahu denied any involvement from his office, stating that no one from the Prime Minister’s office was questioned or arrested and accusing other government agencies of the leak without naming them.
Nevertheless, Israeli officials claimed that one of the suspects is a close associate of Netanyahu.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported that this aide, who has worked closely with Netanyahu since the start of the war, participated in sensitive meetings without the required security clearances.
The scandal is expected to worsen the already existing mistrust and tension between Netanyahu and the IDF and intelligence services, which has escalated following security failures related to Hamas’s attacks on 7 October.
Additionally, the scandal coincides with Netanyahu’s legal battles, as he is soon expected to testify for the first time in his ongoing corruption trial.
