Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency has successfully retrieved a trove of approximately 2,500 documents, photographs, and personal effects belonging to Eli Cohen, the famed Israeli spy executed in Syria in 1965. The operation, described as covert and complex, was conducted in collaboration with an allied foreign intelligence service, according to a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
The recovered archive, held for decades by Syrian security forces, includes original documents, Cohen’s forged passport, apartment keys, and coded messages he received from Mossad. This cache offers unprecedented insight into Cohen’s espionage activities, during which he infiltrated Syria’s elite circles under the alias Kamel Amin Thaabet, gathering critical intelligence that aided Israel, notably during the 1967 Six-Day War.
In a covert and complex Mossad operation, in cooperation with an allied foreign intelligence service, the official Syrian archive on Eli Cohen with thousands of findings that were held for decades by the Syrian security forces have been brought to Israelhttps://t.co/ioQO9peuS3 pic.twitter.com/F8mG3QNlY8
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 18, 2025
Most of the recovered items are now being revealed to the public for the first time, shedding light on Cohen’s operations and the Syrian investigation that led to his capture and execution. The archive also contains photographs and personal belongings, providing a rare glimpse into the life of one of Israel’s most celebrated intelligence operatives.
“This operation honors Eli Cohen’s legacy and ensures his contributions to Israel’s security are preserved for future generations,” the Mossad stated. The recovery, nearly 60 years after Cohen’s death, underscores the agency’s commitment to reclaiming the history of its agents.
The announcement has sparked widespread interest, with historians and the public eager to explore the archive’s contents. Cohen’s story, already immortalized in books and the Netflix series The Spy, continues to captivate global audiences.
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