Secret direct link between Shin Bet and Hamas revealed

A confidential telephone link

The Israeli press has revealed the existence of a direct and highly confidential telephone channel between Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, and Hamas officials. This link, established at the end of summer 2024 following the discovery of the bodies of six hostages in the Gaza Strip, aimed to bypass the slow pace of traditional mediation led by Qatar and Egypt. This secret channel allowed the crucial January 2025 hostage release agreement to be unblocked. The discussions, authorised at the highest level by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, took place directly between a senior Israeli intelligence official and the Palestinian movement’s official Ghazi Hamad. Despite sometimes tense exchanges, these dozens of direct calls made it possible to resolve major points of friction, particularly the drawing up of lists of Palestinian prisoners to be released.

A major impact on the political scene

Although the Israeli Prime Minister’s office categorically denies that these direct negotiations took place, these revelations are causing significant political turbulence in the country. The disclosure of this direct contact with the Islamist movement comes amid a particularly tense electoral climate for the ruling coalition. The opposition immediately seized on the matter to accuse the head of government of duplicity. These leaks come as Benjamin Netanyahu is already struggling in the polls for the August 2026 legislative elections. For his detractors, the use of a secret line with the Palestinian organisation contradicts the firm stance publicly displayed by the executive since the start of the conflict.