Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar signals exit - but only after hostages are freed 

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has reportedly indicated that he will only step down once all remaining hostages held in Gaza are freed, according to a Tuesday morning report by N12.

Bar also emphasized his commitment to ensuring the establishment of a state investigation committee to examine the failures of the October 7 attacks.

"As soon as I see this happening, I will want to pass the baton to one of my two excellent deputies," he was quoted as saying. Expressing his dissatisfaction with the ongoing hostage crisis, Bar reportedly stated, "I am not satisfied with the return of 197 hostages; I am still looking at the 59 who remain there."

Last month, Bar and outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi blocked State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman’s internal probe into the October 7 attacks. Additionally, reports from mid-February indicated that Bar was no longer involved in the hostage deal negotiation team.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering dismissing Bar. The discussion comes after a security scare when flares were fired near Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea in November 2024, with some close to the Prime Minister citing this incident as evidence of a security failure that warrants Bar's removal.

Some of Netanyahu's associates are pushing for a swift decision. While the Prime Minister's Office has officially denied the claims, calling the reports "completely untrue," media figures with close ties to Netanyahu, including Yinon Magal and Shimon Riklin from Channel 14, have publicly called for Bar's dismissal. Magal tweeted that a senior government official stated, "The Prime Minister must dismiss the head of Shin Bet."

Bar, who has held the position since 2021, was appointed to a legally mandated five-year term. However, the government has the authority to terminate his tenure before its completion. Historically, no head of Shin Bet has been dismissed during their term, with only two resigning early.