Hostage's Mother Recounts Betrayal by Netanyahu, Cites Secret Rescue Operation

Einav Tsengauker, mother of hostage Matan Tsengauker, has broken her months-long silence to detail her profound disillusionment with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara. In an interview with Channel 13, Tsengauker described a meeting with Sara Netanyahu shortly after her son's abduction, during which she felt the Prime Minister's wife arrived with her stylist, seemingly detached from the families' anguish. Tsengauker stated that this perceived self-absorption, contrasted with the families' desperate state, shattered her trust in Netanyahu, whom she had initially believed in.

Tsengauker also revealed a covert operation she participated in, at the request of a senior Shin Bet official, aimed at drawing Hamas's attention. She was asked to stand before a green screen in a rented apartment, read a script in Arabic, and address Matan's captors. Tsengauker believes this action was instrumental in saving her son's life and raises the question of whether other hostages could have been rescued if similar measures were taken.

She further criticized government spokespersons and media outlets, particularly Channel 14, for what she described as a "poison machine" targeting her after she publicly advocated for hostage release. Despite the public pressure and personal attacks, Tsengauker highlighted her persistent efforts, attributing her son's rescue to her resourcefulness and determination.

The interview also touched upon her criticism of Yair Golan, though specific details were not elaborated upon in this excerpt. Tsengauker's account underscores the deep emotional toll on families of hostages and raises critical questions about government response, intelligence operations, and decision-making processes during the ongoing crisis.