Netanyahu Approved Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar's Direct Hamas Contacts During Hostage Negotiations

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar engaged in direct communications with senior Hamas officials abroad during the hostage release negotiations amid the conflict. Bar confirmed this in a 2025 cabinet meeting, emphasizing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized these contacts. This information was previously censored but has now been unexpectedly cleared for publication.

The negotiations took place behind the Israeli defense establishment's back and alongside a separate negotiation channel. Earlier reports revealed that Netanyahu himself held direct talks with senior Hamas figure Azzam al-Hamad during Operation Protective Edge, using his close associate, businessman Shlomi Fogel, as an intermediary. Despite repeated confrontations by senior defense officials who demanded Netanyahu halt these unauthorized talks, Netanyahu denied knowledge and insisted on stopping Fogel's involvement. However, Fogel continued, leading to further warnings and exposure of briefing documents involving then-National Security Advisor Yossi Cohen, which included messages Netanyahu wanted conveyed to al-Hamad.

Bar noted that Hamas's external leadership had previously advanced hostage negotiations and questioned why Netanyahu reassigned his team from the talks he had initiated. The timing of the censorship lift coincides with these revelations about Netanyahu's parallel negotiation efforts during the conflict. The disclosures shed light on the complex and covert channels used in the sensitive hostage negotiations and the internal disputes within Israel's security apparatus over Netanyahu's direct involvement.