The corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resumed Monday in Jerusalem, about two months after it was suspended due to a bloody attack by Hamas on October 7, AFP writes.

On Monday, the war between Israel and Hamas entered its 59th day.

Netanyahu, 74, is suspected of receiving gifts worth around 700,000 shekels (176,000 euros) – cigars, bottles of champagne and jewelry – from a number of ultra-rich people between 2007 and 2016.

The prime minister is accused of corruption, fraud and breach of trust.

Among his alleged “benefactors” is Hollywood “mafia” Arnon Milchan, producer of successful films such as “Beauty” or “Natural Born Killers”. Netanyahu is suspected of supporting a tax measure that would have brought him additional millions of dollars, but the Treasury Department has opposed it.

Israel’s prime minister claims he only accepted gifts from friends without asking for them, and that he is the victim of a witch hunt.

According to Israeli media, Netanyahu will not be called in the near future, but may appear to testify in a few months.

The trial, which began in 2020, is Israel’s first against a sitting prime minister.

Political officials close to the prime minister criticized the resumption of hearings in the midst of the war. In any case, they will be slightly reduced, taking into account the mobilization of reservists from the number of witnesses and lawyers.