Eli Feldstein, a former spokesman for Benjamin Netanyahu, told Israel’s Kan that immediately after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack the prime minister asked him to craft messaging to deflect responsibility for the security lapse. Feldstein said Netanyahu appeared 'panicked' and that aides were later urged to avoid the word 'responsibility.' Netanyahu's office denied the claims, calling them recycled and self-interested. Feldstein faces separate legal allegations, including an indictment over leaking classified material and a suspected role in the 'Qatargate' affair.
Ex-Aide Alleges Netanyahu Ordered Messaging To Deflect Blame After Oct. 7 Attack
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a joint press conference after a trilateral meeting with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Citadel of David Hotel in Jerusalem, Monday Dec. 22, 2025. (Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP)
JERUSALEM — A former close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that immediately after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that precipitated Israel’s two-year war in Gaza, the prime minister instructed him to develop messaging designed to shield Netanyahu from responsibility for the security failures.
What Feldstein Says
Former Netanyahu spokesman Eli Feldstein, who is now facing trial on charges that he leaked classified information to the press, made the claim in a lengthy interview broadcast Monday night on Israel’s Kan news channel. Feldstein said the prime minister’s "first task" for him after the attack was to blunt public calls for accountability.
'He asked me, "What are they saying in the news? Are they still talking about responsibility?"' Feldstein said. 'He wanted me to come up with a line that would offset the media storm around whether the prime minister had taken responsibility or not.'
Feldstein added that Netanyahu appeared "panicked" when he gave the instructions, and that other aides later told him to avoid using the word 'responsibility' in public statements.
Context And Reactions
On Oct. 7, 2023, militants led by Hamas killed roughly 1,200 people in southern Israel and seized 251 hostages who were taken into Gaza. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has caused extensive destruction and heavy casualties; Gaza's Health Ministry reports nearly 71,000 deaths, a figure that ministry officials say does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Netanyahu's office dismissed Feldstein's remarks, with Hebrew media reporting that it described the interview as 'a long series of mendacious and recycled allegations made by a man with clear personal interests who is trying to deflect responsibility from himself.'
Feldstein is separately under indictment for allegedly leaking classified military material to a German tabloid — an accusation said to have been intended to bolster public perceptions of the prime minister after the killing of six hostages in Gaza last August. He is also a suspect in the so-called 'Qatargate' affair and is one of two former close aides accused of accepting funds from Qatar while serving in Netanyahu's circle.
Why This Matters
The allegations speak to broader questions about political accountability and crisis management in Israel after the deadliest attack in the country's history. Netanyahu has repeatedly opposed an independent state inquiry into the security failures surrounding Oct. 7, while opponents and some family members of victims have pushed for greater transparency.
