Israel probing suspected Gaza intelligence leak by Netanyahu aide

A suspected leak of a classified Gaza document involving an aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has jolted Israeli politics and outraged the families of hostages held by Hamas who have been pushing for a deal to get their loved ones home.

Details of the case have been trickling out slowly because of a gag order.

But a magistrate's ruling partially lifting the order has provided an initial glimpse of the case which the court said had compromised security sources and may have harmed Israel's war effort to release the hostages.

"Classified and sensitive intelligence information was taken from Israel Defence Forces (IDF) systems and taken out illegally," a ruling by the Rishon Le-Zion Magistrates' Court said on Nov 3, which may have caused "serious damage to the state's security and posed a risk to information sources".

In that, the court said, the leak could have hurt efforts to release the hostages.

Mr Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing by his office staff and said in a statement on Nov 2 that he was made aware of the leaked document only by the media.