Former Netanyahu spokesman detained for allegedly leaking confidential documents

A former spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Eliezer Feldstein, was detained along with three others for allegedly leaking confidential documents that could have jeopardized negotiations for the release of hostages in Gaza, a court announced on Sunday.

The court in Rishon LeZion confirmed that the group included security officials. The case has sparked allegations from the opposition, questioning whether Netanyahu was complicit in the leaks—claims his office has denied.

Netanyahu criticized over truce negotiations

Opponents have accused Netanyahu of stalling truce negotiations to cater to his far-right coalition partners. The investigation into the leak, launched by Israel’s domestic security agency and the army in September, followed reports in The Jewish Chronicle and Bild that cited classified military documents.

One report suggested that then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the hostages would be smuggled into Egypt through the Philadelphi Corridor. However, it was later revealed that the first document was fake and the internal memo cited was from lower-level Hamas militants.

The court stated that the leak posed a risk of “severe harm to state security,” potentially undermining efforts to secure the hostages’ release.

Key opposition leader Yair Lapid expressed concern, stating that the details of the affair should alarm all Israelis. He emphasized the need for the investigation to determine if it was conducted under Netanyahu’s orders.

Benny Gantz, another opposition figure, criticized the situation as exploitation of state secrets for political gain. Netanyahu, denying the allegations, asserted that the documents in question had never reached his office and clarified that Feldstein had not participated in security meetings or handled confidential materials.