8/9/2024–|Last update: 8/9/202410:31 PM (Makkah Time)
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said on Sunday that the Israeli army has opened an internal investigation to try to find out who is exploiting documents that are allegedly secret belonging to the Hamas movement, and which are being promoted as having been seized in the Gaza Strip.
The newspaper added that some of these documents are forged and others are fabricated and are being passed to international media in order to influence public opinion in Israel regarding the possible prisoner swap deal.
She added that the fabricated documents caused great concern and anger within the Israeli security services supporting the exchange deal, and that it is expected to increase tension between them and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his aides accused of obstructing efforts to reach an agreement that includes a ceasefire and prisoner exchange.
Yedioth Ahronoth said that the anger of the Israeli security services increased after two articles about these documents were published in the British newspaper “Jewish Chronicle” and the German newspaper “Bild”, noting that the articles included allegations about the disclosure of internal and highly secret Hamas documents.
The newspaper explained that examining the document published in the German newspaper “Bild” concluded that it was not a document by the head of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, at all, but rather a lecture given by a mid-level leader in the movement.
An examination of the document also revealed that the main part that the newspaper was supposed to have quoted from it, which stated that Hamas was not interested in the deal, was not mentioned at all.
Yedioth Ahronoth quoted an Israeli military source as saying that exploiting these documents is a very serious matter, describing what is happening as a campaign to influence the Israeli public, saying that the army and security services are determined to identify the person or party behind it.
For its part, the Jewish Chronicle newspaper published today, in a report on the same subject, excerpts from documents attributed to Hamas, which include allegations that it is not keen on a quick end to the war, and that all it cares about is rebuilding its military strength and continuing to rule the Gaza Strip.
The negotiations have not yet resulted in an agreement, in light of the Israeli Prime Minister’s insistence on imposing additional conditions, most notably keeping his forces on the Philadelphi axis.