JERUSALEM — Israeli authorities apprehended five individuals, including four from a military intelligence unit, towards the end of last week for allegedly revealing state secrets to foreign media outlets.

An Israeli military officer assigned to the Prime Minister’s office was among the five detained during an investigation into leaked classified documents. The officer, identified as 32-year-old Eli Feldstein, served as a military spokesperson in the Prime Minister’s office and was among the five suspects arrested late last week. The identities of the remaining suspects remain under a gag order, as reported by Israeli news agency TPS.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that four of the suspects belong to a military unit responsible for preventing leaks of state secrets.

The leaked documents in question were reportedly authored by Hamas. They appear to have been the basis for a report published in the London-based Jewish Chronicle, which reported in September of a Hamas plan to smuggle Israeli hostages out of Gaza to the Sinai and subsequently transfer them to Iran. The Chronicle later retracted the report and dismissed the journalist involved, stating that the story had been fabricated.

The documents also seemingly served as the basis for a report in Germany’s popular Bild daily, which suggested Hamas was deliberately prolonging hostage negotiations to exert psychological pressure on the Israeli government.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that unnamed sources claimed the Bild’s September report poses “an ongoing danger” to the lives of Israeli soldiers and hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

According to Israel’s Kan public broadcaster, the documents were not discovered by Israeli forces in Gaza, but rather through “another type of intelligence.” The case carries the risk of exposing Israel’s intelligence-gathering techniques.

Feldstein is suspected of acquiring the classified documents prior to their publication in the Chronicle and Bild, along with an interpretation that favored Netanyahu, who faced public pressure at the time to reach an agreement for a cease-fire and hostage release.

Authorities are also investigating why Feldstein, who lacked the necessary security clearance, had access not only to the documents but also to classified meetings.

Amit Segal, chief political analyst for Israel’s Channel 12, told  Digital, “For a year, there has been an ongoing debate, both openly and behind the scenes, between Netanyahu and the top security establishment regarding the price to be paid for the hostages. This struggle has been accompanied by leaks, some legal and some not. The Shin Bet is currently investigating whether, as part of this conflict, Netanyahu’s people crossed the line and used classified information.”

He added, “In my opinion, it will not change anything dramatic in Israel’s political arena. Netanyahu will probably not be found involved in the case. It just demonstrates again the mistrust between the PM and the security establishment.”

At a joint press conference in Tel Aviv, opposition party leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz questioned whether the leak occurred on Netanyahu’s orders. “Netanyahu’s defense is that he has no influence or control over the system he heads. If that’s true, he’s ineligible. He is not qualified to lead the State of Israel in the most difficult war in its history,” Lapid said. “This case came out of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the investigation should check if it was not on the prime minister’s orders.”

Gideon Rahat, a professor in the Department of Political Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, echoed Segal’s analysis that the leaks will not damage Netanyahu. He told Digital that “Netanyahu is a type of populist leader and nothing will happen from his hardcore followers. He will use it for his own gain and then say the deep state is after him.” 

The deep state for Netanyahu, according to Rahat, is Israel’s court system, which Netanyahu views as liberal, and the security service and military.

Rahat said populism encompasses the view that “Everything dealing with investigations and trials is against populist leaders.” Rahat cited an example to illustrate the differences between the administrations of , a non-populist leader, and Netanyahu. 

Olmert did not have “much success in the running of the second Lebanon war” against Hezbollah in 2006. His support at the time was only 3%, he noted, adding “When you look at his failure it is nothing .”

The second Lebanon war commenced with Hezbollah’s kidnapping of several Israel Defense Forces soldiers and not with the massacre of nearly 1,200 people, Rahat said. Hamas also kidnapped over 250 people.

Rahat noted that Netanyahu enjoys over 30% support and his electoral base is “still keeping him in the game.”

Within the context of populism, “Politics are perceived as different today. Politicians are not seen as responsible for what happens under their rule,”Rahat said.