Israeli gov’t accused of leaks to foil Gaza ceasefire

JERUSALEM

An Israeli group campaigning for the release of hostages held in Gaza called on Monday for an investigation into the alleged leak of confidential documents by an ex-aide to the prime minister, which may have undermined efforts to secure the captives' release.

An Israeli court announced on Nov. 3 that Eliezer Feldstein, a former aide to Benjamin Netanyahu, had been detained along with three others for allegedly leaking documents to foreign media.

The leaked documents are said to have formed the basis of a widely discredited article in the London-based Jewish Chronicle — which was later withdrawn — suggesting Hamas planned to spirit hostages out of Gaza through Egypt, and an article in Germany’s Bild newspaper that said Hamas was drawing out the talks as a form of psychological warfare on Israel.

The case has prompted the opposition to question whether Netanyahu was involved in the leak, an allegation denied by his office.

"The [hostage] families demand an investigation against all those suspected of sabotage and undermining state security," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.

"Such actions, especially during wartime, endanger the hostages, jeopardize their chances of return and abandon them to the risk of being killed by Hamas terrorists."

Critics have long accused Netanyahu of stalling in truce negotiations and prolonging the war to appease his far-right coalition partners.

The Israeli court said the release of the documents ran the risk of causing "severe harm to state security.”

"As a result, the ability of security bodies to achieve the objective of releasing the hostages, as part of the war goals, could have been compromised," it added.

Israel ends agreement with UN agency providing aid in Gaza

Meanwhile, Israel on Monday formally notified the United Nations of its decision to sever ties with the agency supporting Palestinian refugees after lawmakers voted to ban the organization vital to the occupied territories.

The ban, which sparked global condemnation including from key Israeli backer the United States, should come into force in late January, with the U.N. Security Council warning it would have severe consequences for millions of Palestinians.

Israel says the agency, known as UNRWA, has been infiltrated by Hamas.

Gaza’s Government Media Office on Monday said all hospitals in the northern part of the Strip are out of service, amid relentless Israeli bombardment and a military siege that prevents access to humanitarian aid including medical supplies.

The office said in a statement on Telegram that 1,800 people were killed and 4,000 wounded in northern Gaza in the past month.

In a rare move, the Israeli military said it has carried out a ground raid into Syria, seizing a Syrian citizen involved in Iranian networks. It was the first time in the current war that Israel announced its troops operated in Syrian territory.

The Israeli military said the seizure was part of a special operation “that took place in recent months,” though it did not say exactly when it occurred.