Israel is investigating leaks that appear to have strengthened Netanyahu’s presidency…

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli court on Sunday eased a gag order in a case investigating leaks of classified information allegedly implicating one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s media advisers. Critics say the leaks were aimed at giving Netanyahu political cover as ceasefire talks in Gaza stalled.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, downplaying the case and publicly calling for the gag order to be lifted. Netanyahu said the individual “never participated in security discussions, was exposed to or received classified information, or took part in secret visits.”

On Sunday, an Israeli court allowed the name of the main suspect in the case, Eli Feldstein, who Israeli media reported was one of Netanyahu’s media advisers, to be made public. Israeli media reports say the case involves the leaking of classified information to two European media outlets, allegedly by Feldstein, who may not have been officially employed or had security clearance. Media reported that Feldstein joined Netanyahu as an adviser in the weeks after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and had previously served as an adviser to far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The court did not name three other suspects who are also being investigated in connection with the leak.

The leaked documents are said to have formed the basis of a widely discredited article in London’s Jewish Chronicle: which was later withdrawn – a suggestion that Hamas was planning to remove hostages from the Gaza Strip through Egypt, as well as an article in the German newspaper Bild which stated that Hamas was delaying negotiations as a form of psychological warfare against Israel.

Israeli media and other observers expressed skepticism about the articles, which appeared to support Netanyahu’s demands in the talks and absolve him of blame for their failure. Netanyahu made no mention of the incident during a Sunday visit to Israel’s northern border with Israel, according to a video released by his office.

The articles appeared as Netanyahu called for Israel to establish lasting control over Philadelphia Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt bordera requirement that was first made public this summer. Hamas rejected this demand and accused Netanyahu of deliberately sabotaging the negotiations, which were mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

The articles also appeared to provide political cover as Netanyahu faced harsh criticism from the families of the hostages and much of the Israeli public, who accused him of failing to reach an agreement. The criticism reached its climax in early September. with mass protests and calls for a general strikeafter Hamas killed six hostages as Israeli troops closed in on them.

The court document confirmed that investigations by police, military and internal security agency Shin Bet are ongoing and that a number of suspects have been arrested for questioning. The statement said the case poses a “risk to sensitive information and sources” and is “detrimental to the achievement of war objectives in the Gaza Strip.”

The leak led to a scandal at the Jewish Chronicle, where prominent columnists resigned in protest over the discredited articles. The London newspaper removed the article in question and others by the independent journalist, saying it was “not satisfied with some of his claims.”

The Bild article said Hamas was not serious about the negotiations and used psychological warfare to inflame Israeli divisions. Netanyahu cited this in a meeting with the cabinet after the publication.