Israeli intelligence chief's brother charged with smuggling cigarettes into Gaza

Zini, 50, a reservist on active duty in the Israeli military, is said to have smuggled 14 cartons of cigarettes - 7,000 individual packets - in exchange for a total of 365,000 shekels ($117,000; £86,000).

The charges are part of a wider set of indictments against more than a dozen individuals, alleging that an organised crime ring smuggled brand new, top-end iPhones, car parts, and other electronics into Gaza.

The indictment against Bezalel Zini also accuses him of fraud, receiving a bribe, and tax offences. He was arrested two weeks ago along with two alleged accomplices, who were also charged with smuggling.

Zini's defence lawyers said their client denied the charges, according to Israel's Haaretz newspaper, arguing that the application of a terrorism law was not appropriate for the alleged smuggling of cigarettes.

"Regarding the offence of aiding the enemy during wartime, it is a complete inversion of reality. This is someone who has given everything and risked his life for the state," the paper quoted one of his lawyers as saying.