Netanyahu's Office Denies Reports of Secret 2014 Hamas Talks

Reports surfacing in Tel Aviv on Thursday have ignited controversy, alleging that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in direct, secret negotiations with Hamas in 2014, bypassing the country's security establishment. The claims, published by the Walla news site and Maariv newspaper, suggest a clandestine communication channel was maintained with Hamas during Operation Protective Edge, which began in July 2014.

Operation Protective Edge was launched following a period of escalating rocket fire between Hamas and Israeli forces. The conflict, which lasted 50 days, resulted in significant casualties, with over 2,251 Palestinians killed, predominantly civilians, and 69 Israeli soldiers and five civilians dead. The war saw extensive Israeli air strikes and shelling on the densely populated Gaza Strip, causing widespread destruction. Simultaneously, official negotiations were reportedly underway in Cairo to end the conflict, with the delegation in Egypt allegedly unaware of Netanyahu's backchannel communications.

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There was no such thing, and there will never be. Prime Minister Netanyahu has never approved such contacts.

According to the reports, Shlomi Fogel, an Israeli businessman with extensive holdings in various sectors, facilitated contact between Netanyahu and Hamas official Ghazi Hamad during the Cairo talks. Hamad served as deputy minister in the Hamas government in Gaza at the time. The reports further suggest that Fogel was operating under the guidance of then-National Security Council chief Yossi Cohen. Senior defense officials reportedly confronted Netanyahu about these contacts, but he allegedly denied them and instructed them to ask Fogel to cease. However, subsequent revelations indicated Fogel was acting with Netanyahu's authorization.

The Prime Minister's Office issued a strong denial of the reports on Thursday, describing them as "false briefings by political elements trying to harm the Prime Minister." The statement asserted, "There was no such thing, and there will never be. Prime Minister Netanyahu has never approved such contacts." The allegations have surfaced at a sensitive time, shortly before Israel's general elections scheduled for late October, potentially impacting Netanyahu's Likud party.

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false briefings by political elements trying to harm the Prime Minister.