An Israeli group advocating for the release of hostages held in Gaza has called for an investigation into the alleged leak of confidential documents by Eliezer Feldstein, a former aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The group argues that the leak may have undermined efforts to secure the hostages’ release.
On Sunday, an Israeli court announced the detention of Feldstein and three others in connection with the alleged leaks to foreign media. This incident has raised questions about Netanyahu’s potential involvement, although his office has denied such claims.
The forum represents the families of the 97 hostages still held in Gaza since the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the ongoing conflict. The Israeli military has reported that 34 hostages are confirmed dead.
The forum condemned the allegations as a significant betrayal, saying, “This is a moral low point like no other. It is a severe blow to the remaining trust between the government and its citizens.” Critics have long accused Netanyahu of stalling truce negotiations to satisfy far-right coalition partners.
Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, and the military launched an investigation in September after articles based on classified documents were published by The Jewish Chronicle and Germany’s Bild tabloid. One report suggested that the then Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, later killed by Israel, had plans to smuggle hostages out of Gaza into Egypt. The other article cited an internal memo indicating that Sinwar was working to obstruct negotiations for the hostages’ release.
The Israeli court warned that releasing these documents could cause severe harm to state security, potentially compromising efforts to secure the hostages’ release despite ongoing invasion and airstrikes in Gaza.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, resulting in over 1,200 fatalities. Israel has since invaded Gaza, with an almost daily airstrike reportedly resulting in the deaths of at least 43,341 people, mostly civilians, according to the territory’s health ministry, figures considered reliable by the UN.