A former Mossad official under investigation in the so-called “Qatargate” affair took part in meetings of Israel’s hostage negotiation team during the first two weeks of the current war — at times representing the Mossad itself — according to a report Monday by Kan.

The official, identified only as “Shin,” acknowledged to Kan that he had business ties with Qatar and claimed he informed both the Mossad and Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, the IDF’s lead envoy to the talks. However, Kan reported that neither the spy agency nor other members of the negotiating team were aware of those connections at the time.

Channel 12 reported in May that “Shin” had previously worked with Qatari intelligence while serving in the Mossad and currently conducts business in Qatar. He also reportedly co-owns a company with retired IDF general Yoav Mordechai, who developed ties with Qatari officials during his tenure as head of the Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.

In a sharp statement following the Kan report, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum accused Qatar of penetrating “the holy of holies of the struggle to return hostages — from the Prime Minister’s Office to the senior officials of the Mossad and the negotiating team.” The group called on the prime minister to “prove with actions” that he is committed to bringing home all the captives held in Gaza.

The Qatargate scandal centers on allegations that two close aides to Prime Minister Netanyahu — Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein — engaged in illicit activity while working for a pro-Qatar lobbying firm. Prosecutors suspect the pair of offenses including contact with a foreign agent and corrupt dealings with lobbyists and businessmen, all while serving in the Prime Minister’s Office.

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