By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

On Friday, an Israeli Magistrates Court judge partially lifted a gag order on the ongoing joint investigation by the Shin Bet, police and the army.

A high-ranking Israeli army officer has become the fifth suspect to be arrested in the investigation into leaked intelligence from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has called for an investigation into the leak of the documents, the Al-Jazeera Arabic channel reported on Monday, citing the Israeli Hayom news outlet.

The channel also cited the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) as quoting sources in the investigation who said a high-ranking soldier had been detained.

The Times of Israel also reported that an Israeli military “officer” had been arrested as part of the investigation.

On Friday, an Israeli Magistrates Court judge partially lifted a gag order on the ongoing joint investigation by the Shin Bet, police, and the army.

The documents were said to have been authored by Hamas, the Times of Israel said, and subsequently leaked to the London-based Jewish Chronicle and the German newspaper, Bild.

‘Not Found’ in Gaza

Citing the Kan state broadcaster, the Times of Israel said that the leaked documents were “not found” by Israeli forces in Gaza, but uncovered through “another type of intelligence.”

A spokesman who worked in Netanyahu’s office, Eli Feldstein, was also among the suspects arrested.

‘Intelligence Leak’ Scandal Rocks Netanyahu’s Office – Close Aide Arrested

The names of three other suspects “remain gagged by the court, but it confirmed that they were connected to the defense establishment,” the paper said.

“The investigation began after significant suspicions arose in the Shin Bet and IDF — including as a result of media publications — that secret and sensitive intelligence information was taken from the IDF and removed illegally, sparking concerns of serious harm to national security and a danger to the sources of the information,” the court was quoted as having noted by the Times of Israel.

“As a result, damage could have been done to the ability of defense bodies to achieve the goal of freeing the hostages (held in Gaza),” it reportedly added.

Netanyahu Urges Investigation

Netanyahu requested, in a letter to the government’s legal advisor, Gali Beharav Meara, an investigation into the leak, Al-Jazeera reported.

“Since the beginning of the war, we have witnessed a continuous flood of dangerous leaks and revelations of state secrets,” he reportedly wrote.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu calls for an immediate investigation into serious leaks of classified information, implicating high-level officials, as authorities detain four suspects, including a spokesperson from his office https://t.co/Y4xz6oR6vM pic.twitter.com/SS4bpotQrF

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) November 5, 2024

“These leaks come from the sessions of the security-political mini-ministerial council (cabinet), from the administration of the Coordinator for Prisoners and Missing Persons Affairs (affiliated with the army) and from limited security forums,” Netanyahu is quoted as saying. “Including those in which there is no participation from the political level.”

The Axios news platform has described the leak as possibly “the biggest scandal inside the Israeli government” since its genocidal war on Gaza began in October last year.

(PC, AJA)