Netanyahu held direct talks with Hamas behind security establishment's back during 2014 Gaza war
When the existence of the channel became known, the reaction among the heads of Israel’s security branches was one of complete shock.
In 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in direct negotiations with Hamas, bypassing the usual channels involving Egypt, Qatar, or other intermediaries. Israeli businessman Shlomi Fogel served as the intermediary for these talks. The discussions were markedly different from previous encounters, as Netanyahu set the guidelines and Fogel conducted the talks directly with senior Hamas figure Razi Hamed, who was serving as deputy minister in the Hamas government.
The conversations took place over the phone for several weeks, with Fogel managing the proceedings in accordance with Netanyahu's directives. The defense establishment learned of the clandestine negotiations and confronted Netanyahu, who denied any involvement. However, it was later revealed that Fogel was acting with Netanyahu's approval, despite initial warnings.
This revelation shocked the heads of Israel's security branches, as it exposed a significant breach of protocol during a time when Netanyahu was already at odds with the existing political system.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
