Iranian hacker group claims to have compromised Netanyahu chief of staff's phone, threatens release of information related to Qatargate

The Iranian hacker group Handala on Sunday claimed to have hacked the phone of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, while also threatening to release incriminating information regarding the Qatargate scandal. 

“To Netanyahu’s inner circle, To every official still clutching the illusion of secrecy,” the group posted to 𝕏. “You feel it now: the tightening chest, the cold sweat, the gnawing dread. That’s not just fear, it’s the knowledge that every layer of your security, every secret entrusted to Tzachi Braverman, Netanyahu’s Chief of Staff, gatekeeper, and vault of all forbidden truths, is now wide open.” 

Bibi Gate Operation: The Gatekeeper’s Fall

To Netanyahu’s inner circle,
To every official still clutching the illusion of secrecy
You feel it now: the tightening chest, the cold sweat, the gnawing dread. That’s not just fear, it’s the knowledge that every layer of your security,… pic.twitter.com/LgW6ek4tu1

— HANDALA (@Handala_Red) December 28, 2025

The hacker group warned that it would distribute materials associated with Prime Minister Netanyahu as well as information related to the Qatargate affair. 

“And do you remember Qatar Gate? Those whispers, those denials, the desperate attempts to bury the truth?” the group asked. “Today, you will finally understand what was really happening. The files, the voices, the videos, every thread of Braverman’s double life, every secret that ties your regime to the heart of corruption, are about to surface.” 

A few hours after posting the original message, the group carried out its threat and began publishing materials allegedly extracted from the cellphone, including phone numbers of top officials and officials in Netanyahu’s inner circle, even the phone number of his wife, Sara. Among the photos and documents were several from his meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and former U.S. President Joe Biden. 

In another post to 𝕏, the hacker group also claimed to have sent personal information from Braverman’s phone to the private email address of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. 

Last week, Handala claimed to have hacked Bennett's cellphone, releasing photos and documents it claimed were taken from that device. Bennett later disputed the claim, confirming that his Telegram account, not his cellphone, had been compromised. 

Israeli cyber ​​experts have already begun reviewing the published materials, and reports in Hebrew media indicate that the material appears to be a list of contacts, a collection of personal details such as photos and videos, and partial chats from what appears to be a Telegram account connected to Braverman, similar to the hack of Bennett’s Telegram account. No evidence has been presented to indicate a widespread hack of the cellphones, however.

In the case of Bennett’s cellphone, security officials estimate that the hacker group was able to gain access to a phone Bennett was no longer using via his Telegram account. 

The timing of the announcement was significant, coming just as Netanyahu was departing for meetings with Trump and other administration officials in Florida this week. The group referenced that trip, writing, “As ‘Flight BB Gate’ rises above the clouds, encrypted currents stir quietly among the watchers and the watched. Layers of protection tighten as the journey unfolds, but sometimes, secrets take flight too – leaving trails only the most attentive can see. On this day, those who guard the skies may find that the unexpected travels with them, and not every hidden truth remains grounded.” 

Following the announcement, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement, “No breach has been identified at the moment; the report is under investigation.”