ISRAELI COURT ANNOUNCES ARREST OF FORMER NETANYAHU SPOKESPERSON OVER SECURITY LEAKS

An Israeli court stated on Sunday that a former spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been arrested on charges of leaking classified documents to the media without authorization. This incident may have impacted negotiations for the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Following the lifting of a publication ban, it was revealed that Eli Feldstein was arrested alongside three others, including security officials, in connection with the case. The case has led opposition parties to question Netanyahu's involvement, a claim that his office has denied.

Netanyahu refuted allegations against his staff, asserting he was aware of the leaked documents through media reports. An internal security agency and the military began investigating the leaks in September last year after reports emerged from the Jewish Chronicle and Germany's Bild, which referenced sensitive military documents.

One report suggested that a document revealed plans for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, later killed by Israel, to facilitate the escape of hostages from Gaza into Egypt. Another report allegedly detailed internal communications from Hamas about strategies to prevent hostage negotiations.

The Israeli court warned that publishing such documents poses significant risks to national security, potentially undermining the capacity of security services to negotiate hostage releases as part of wartime objectives.

In a separate development, the Israeli military announced the killing of Abu Ali Reda, a senior commander of Hezbollah, stating he was responsible for coordinating rocket attacks against Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. The military did not provide a specific date for his death.

Hezbollah has not confirmed or denied the reports of Reda's death, while Israel has targeted several senior Hezbollah leaders recently, including a notable strike in Beirut on September 27.

Hezbollah announced on Monday that it had targeted the cities of Safed and northern Haifa with long-range missiles in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza and to defend Lebanon.