AN ISRAELI court was reviewing yesterday whether to lift a gag order on a case involving suspected leaks of classified information by an associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Critics have said the leaks were aimed at giving him political cover as Gaza ceasefire talks stalled.

Mr Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, stating that neither he nor anyone in his office was involved or is under investigation.

Reports suggest the leaked information was given to European media by an adviser without formal security clearance.

The leaked material formed the basis of widely discredited articles in London’s Jewish Chronicle suggesting that Hamas planned to spirit hostages out of Gaza via Egypt and an article in Germany’s Bild newspaper that said Hamas was drawing out the talks as a form of psychological warfare on Israel.

Israeli media and other observers expressed scepticism about the articles, which appeared to support Mr Netanyahu’s demands in the talks and absolve him of blame for their failure.

Mr Netanyahu faced intense criticism from the families of the hostages and much of the Israeli public, who blamed him for the failure to reach a deal, at the time of the articles.

An official investigation is ongoing, with authorities warning that the leaks risk national security.

It comes as clashes with Hezbollah and Iran continue.

On Saturday, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued threats against Israel and the United States. “The enemies, whether the zionist regime or the United States, will definitely receive a crushing response to what they are doing to Iran and the Iranian nation and to the resistance front,” he said.

The Israeli military said yesterday its naval forces had captured a senior Hezbollah operative in north Lebanon and has deployed troops further into the Israel’s neighbour.