Leading Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Sunday that government agencies plan to cease communications and withdraw advertisements from its editorial office due to its criticism of Israel's brutal war in Gaza.

The left-leaning daily said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved a proposal, but there was initially no confirmation from his government.

The background is a speech given by Haaretz publisher, Amos Schocken, in London last month, in which he sharply criticized the government for "imposing a cruel apartheid regime against the Palestinian population."

Schocken also referred to "Palestinian freedom fighters, that Israel calls terrorists."

The newspaper has long criticized Netanyahu's policies.

Information Minister Schlomo Karhi has previously called for a government boycott of the newspaper, accusing it of "defeatist and false propaganda."