IDF probing leaks of Hamas papers seemingly aimed at stoking opposition to hostage deal
IDF refutes Bild claim that document on Hamas pressure tactics was written by Sinwar, while material cited by UK Jewish paper on ostensible Sinwar escape plan not known to IDF
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Editor’s Note: This story includes details from a Jewish Chronicle report by writer Elon Perry. On September 13, 2024 the Chronicle removed Perry’s stories and ended its association with him after serious doubts emerged regarding the veracity of his reporting. This article is being kept as published for purposes of transparency.
The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday that it had launched an internal investigation after documents recovered from the Gaza Strip were recently leaked to foreign press in an apparent attempt to influence public opinion on the hostage negotiations.
Over the weekend, a report by the German newspaper Bild claimed that a Hamas document found on the computer of leader Yahya Sinwar showed the terror group’s tactics to pressure Israel and stall the hostage talks.
The document’s alleged contents, which claimed that Hamas is seeking to sow division in the Israeli public and that the terror group is not seeking to reach a deal quickly, were nearly identical to points made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent interviews and press conferences.
The IDF said that the document cited by Bild was found in Gaza some five months ago, and was not written by Sinwar himself, but that it was a recommendation paper drawn up by a mid-level Hamas officer.
“The information in the document joins other identical documents that we had in the past; it did not constitute new information,” the IDF said.
The military said that the leak “constitutes a serious offense and will be investigated.”
Separately, supposed documents found in Gaza cited by the British newspaper The Jewish Chronicle claimed that Sinwar was planning to smuggle himself and other leaders from the terror group, along with some of the remaining Israeli hostages kidnapped on October 7, out of Gaza via the Philadelphi Corridor and from there to Iran.
This claim too was similar to Netanyahu’s recent talking points regarding the hostage deal and the premier’s insistence on the IDF remaining in the Philadelphi Corridor.
In the case of the Jewish Chronicle report, the IDF said it was unaware of any such document actually existing.
The Jewish Chronicle report was picked up by some right-wing Hebrew media outlets and shared on social media by Netanyahu’s son, Yair.
Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu referred to the Bild article at length.
The reported document shows Hamas wants to “tear us apart from the inside and to continue the war until further notice,” said Netanyahu. “The vast majority of Israeli citizens aren’t falling for this trap.”
Netanyahu has in recent weeks insisted that Israel must retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor for the foreseeable future, even during the potential first 42-day phase of a hostage-ceasefire deal in which some 30 living hostages could be freed. He has said that control of the route, along the Gaza-Egypt border, is crucial to Israel’s future, because of the danger that otherwise Hamas would resume weapons smuggling across the border, and build up forces for further October 7 massacres.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and all of Israel’s security chiefs are widely reported to have said that alternative solutions can be found to control the border and that the IDF could swiftly return after the first phase of the deal, or at any other time, and expressed fears that Netanyahu, in raising the Philadelphi demand, is sabotaging a potential deal in order to satisfy his far-right coalition partners and retain power.
It is believed that 97 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 37 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
