Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his hostage negotiation team jousted on Wednesday behind anonymous statements over “credit” for the expected release of six hostages on Saturday as well as four hostage bodies on Thursday, a jump from the three hostages originally planned for Saturday.
The fighting might have started with anonymous defense sources, clearly associated with some portion of the IDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and hostage negotiation team, alternately taking credit for the progress or giving the credit to Hamas, saying the terror group realized it must show flexibility to corner Netanyahu into taking the phase two ceasefire and hostage negotiations more seriously.
“Hamas initiated the move to ensure it received the compensation – terrorist prisoners and humanitarian aid – and did not want to risk the collapse of the agreement,” said the sources.
Appearing to respond to this, an anonymous Prime Minister’s Office official said, “The achievement of the agreement to release six of our hostages alive in a single phase, alongside the return of four hostages’ bodies tomorrow, is the result of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to change the composition of the negotiation team.”
Until now, Mossad Director David Barnea has led the negotiations, along with Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar and IDF hostage negotiator Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon.
Following a Channel 12 report, The Jerusalem Post independently confirmed on Tuesday that Barnea was being somewhat sidelined in favor of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, that Bar’s former deputy, M., would largely replace him, and that PMO Hostage Coordinator Gal Hirsch would replace Alon.
M and Hirsch have already worked on the negotiations this week in Cairo, while Dermer is working on the deal with US envoy Steve Witkoff.
The PMO issued another statement, saying, “The claim by ‘sources in the negotiations’ that Hamas was the one responsible for advancing the release phase is a new peak of absurdity and echoes Hamas propaganda.
“Already two weeks ago, the prime minister defined the objective of securing the release of the remaining hostages from the first phase in a single phase instead of two,” the PMO stated, adding, “The understandings were reached as a result of the prime minister’s firm stance, his directive to reinforce IDF forces around and inside Gaza, and the ultimatum issued by US President [Donald] Trump.”
In addition, various other anonymous PMO statements alternately seemed to attack all of the old negotiating team as being too flexible but then narrowed the attack to focus on Bar.This attack on Bar comes after Netanyahu demanded that the Shin Bet chief send his agency’s October 7 probe to the prime minister.
Netanyahu demanded Shin Bet send October 7 their probe to PMO
Sources have indicated that the prime minister would then try to use the probe to force Bar to resign, just as the issuing of the IDF’s October 7 probe has led IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi to announce his resignation, set for March 5.
All of this occurs as Bar has had the Shin Bet open or assist with multiple investigations against Netanyahu aides either for leaking classified information relating to hostage negotiations or to illegal conduct working with Qatar, which is close to Hamas, for compensation while also working for the PMO.
The remark by an Israeli official attacking Bar was met with criticism from politicians from the opposition. National Unity Party head Benny Gantz said on X/Twitter that Bar was “an honest, moral, and strong security ma, who contributed greatly to the return of our hostages. He also bears responsibility for the disaster of October 7, as well as for the fighting and activity that followed.”
Yesh Atid chair Yair Lapid also came out with a strong defense of Bar.
Sources have said that the prime minister feels threatened by Halevi and Bar still being in office, as they can both compete with him for credit for the war’s victories, while they can also blame him for October 7.
Meanwhile, there have been some tensions between Netanyahu and Barnea at points in the hostage negotiations, but the Mossad chief has worked more carefully to stay on the prime minister’s good side even when having substantive disagreements.