An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among several suspects who have been arrested as part of an investigation into a possible security breach at the PM’s office, Axios claimed on Saturday, citing officials.
The Israeli leader has denied that anyone working for him is involved in the alleged wrongdoing being investigated, though local media have pointed out that not all of Netanyahu’s aides are officially employed by his office. The scandal revolves around the alleged dissemination of a Hamas document to the press, which is thought to have then led to reportage that was supportive of the prime minister’s policy on hostage negotiations with the Palestinian militant group.
At Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court on Friday Judge Menachem Mizrahi ordered the partial lifting of a gag order imposed by the Israeli military censor on what the Israeli press is calling the “security affair.” He also confirmed that last week the domestic security agency Shin Bet, as well as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the national police, have begun an “open phase” of their investigation into it.
In early September, the German tabloid Bild and British outlet The Jewish Chronicle produced several reports about a purported Hamas strategy aimed at stalling negotiations with Israel over a release of hostages held in Gaza.
Their reports were based on a document that was allegedly written by then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who has since been killed by the Israeli military. According to The Times of Israel, the IDF has since confirmed that a mid-level Hamas official had authored the paper. The reporting, it added, was “nearly identical to points made by Netanyahu” at the time.
Netanyahu and several media outlets have petitioned the Israeli court to fully lift the gag order. The prime minister’s office claimed that the “ongoing obfuscation serves as a cover for deliberate and malicious slander against [it].” The court will consider the motion on Sunday.
Israel’s Channel 12 has cited a source that it said is close to one of the arrestees. The suspect linked to the PM “has dedicated his life to the prime minister and would endanger himself for him” the source alleged, adding, however, that the moment the scandal erupted, “Netanyahu threw him under the bus.”
The broadcaster Kan claimed that the suspect worked for Netanyahu in an unofficial capacity and had direct access to senior officials.
Critics have accused Netanyahu of disregarding the fate of hostages captured by Hamas during last year’s October 7 incursion into Israel. Instead of genuinely seeking their negotiated release, many are claiming, he focuses on military action and deliberately torpedoes talks.