Sensitive Data Exposed by Handala, Former Israeli PM Admits Hack After Initial Denial
Former Israeli prime minister’s device breached as resistance-aligned hackers publish contacts, private messages, and family photos
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM — The Handala hacker group successfully breached an iPhone 13 used by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, leading to the exposure of sensitive personal and political data, including private communications, contact lists, and personal photographs.
Materials released following the breach include screenshots of conversations, images from family and public events, and documents stored on the device. The operation directly targeted Bennett, who for years has promoted himself as a leading figure in the field of cybersecurity.
Handala Mocks Bennett’s Cybersecurity Claim
After penetrating the device, Handala published a direct message it left on Bennett’s phone, openly ridiculing his long-standing claims of cybersecurity mastery and exposing the fragility of his personal digital defenses. The message reads:
“Dear Naftali Bennett,
You once prided yourself on being a beacon of cybersecurity, parading your expertise before the world. Yet how ironic that your own iPhone 13 has fallen so easily into the hands of Handala.For all your boasts and bravado, your digital fortress was nothing more than a paper wall waiting to be breached.
Consider this a warning and a lesson. If your personal device can be compromised so effortlessly, imagine the vulnerabilities hidden within the systems you once claimed to protect.
Welcome to a new era, where your secrets are only as safe as your weakest password.”
The cyber operation was named “Operation Octopus,” widely seen as a deliberate inversion of Bennett’s own rhetoric in which he repeatedly portrayed Iran as an octopus with regional “tentacles.”
After Denial, Bennett’s Office Admits the Breach
According to reports by Israeli media including The Times of Israel, after initially rejecting the incident outright, Bennett’s office later acknowledged that unauthorized external access had taken place, confirming that Bennett’s Telegram account had been compromised.
Israeli security agencies and cybersecurity specialists were said to be handling the incident, and the device linked to the breach was reportedly taken out of use.
Bennett characterized the incident as a politically motivated cyberattack and acknowledged that materials circulating online were authentic and obtained illegally, although later asserting that some content had been fabricated—an explanation he advanced after the exposure had already taken place.
Leaked Materials Published by Handala
The data released by Handala includes:
Contact lists containing phone numbers of political figures and individuals linked to the security sector
Screenshots of private Telegram conversations
Personal and family photographs
Images of official correspondence stored on the device
Links to download the exposed contact lists were circulated through accounts associated with Handala, alongside images taken directly from the breached phone.
Handala’s Expanding Cyber Operations Against Israeli Targets
Handala has carried out a growing number of cyber operations targeting Israeli military, intelligence, and strategic institutions.
Earlier this week, the group announced a reward of USD 30,000 for information on Israeli engineers and technicians, publishing names, photographs, professional details, email addresses, locations, and phone numbers.
In July, Handala exposed personal data belonging to thousands of Israelis connected to elite military and intelligence units, in what observers described as one of the most significant digital penetrations of Israel’s security ecosystem in recent years.
Exposure of Israel’s Military–Technology Network
Previously released data revealed information on former intelligence officers, cyber warfare specialists, drone operators, and engineers linked to elite units such as Unit 8200 and Unit 81, including personnel tied to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Security.
The leaks also mapped the transition of Israeli military and intelligence personnel into the private sector, including companies such as Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, NSO Group, and Cognyte, as well as international firms operating in artificial intelligence, surveillance, and cybersecurity.
Naftali Bennett served as Israeli prime minister from June 2021 to June 2022 and is regarded within Israeli political circles as a leading contender in future leadership contests.
The exposure of his personal and political data has unfolded amid escalating regional confrontation and the expansion of the cyber front aligned with the axis of resistance.
The Handala group has not announced whether further data releases are forthcoming. (PW)