It has previously been discovered that activists, journalists and politicians have been monitored by the Israeli spy program Pegasus.

Now Amnesty International, Citizen Lab and the non-profit media organization Forbidden Stories state that six Palestinian activists and human rights workers are among those affected.

Israeli telephone numbers

Four of the telephone numbers affected are Israeli numbers, the other two have Palestinian telephone numbers.

This is the first time that Pegasus has been found in a phone with an Israeli number.

According to the arms export license granted by the Israeli Ministry of Defense to the cyber company behind the spy program, only the Israeli security service has the right to spy on the telephone numbers of Israeli or Palestinian territories.

The company, which only sells its products and services to governments, has previously said that Pegasus is not approved for use on Israeli telephone numbers.

Infiltrates without clicks

Pegasus is a spyware program developed by the Israeli surveillance company NSO.

According to NSO, its customers undertake to use the technology only in the fight against terrorism or serious crime.

Pegasus infiltrates mobile phones without the recipient having to click on anything and can provide access to emails, messages and photos as well as record calls and secretly activate the microphone.

In July, the news came that Israel is appointing a committee to investigate the suspected abuse of the spy program.

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SVT's reporter answers three questions about the spy program Pegasus.

Photo: Emil Larsson / SVT