UAE President Warned Netanyahu of Hamas Attack Before Oct. 7, New Book Claims

The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, directly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about a major Hamas operation planned for Gaza approximately ten days before the October 7, 2023, attack, according to a new book by Israeli journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. The book, titled "Hostages: 843 Days of Inaction," alleges that Netanyahu did not inform top Israeli security officials about this crucial conversation. The claims are based on interviews with dozens of sources in Israel and abroad, including Israeli President Isaac Herzog, senior military and security officials, and Emirati, Qatari, American, and Palestinian contacts. Authors Eldar and Yuval state they possess supporting audio recordings, documents, and internal correspondence.

According to the journalists, the UAE president was concerned the impending Hamas operation would lead to bloodshed, destabilize the region, and damage the Abraham Accords. President Herzog reportedly confirmed that bin Zayed had been signaling concerns to Israel about escalating tensions. The book also details earlier events, including stalled negotiations in 2023 regarding the return of Israeli soldiers' bodies and the release of civilians held by Hamas. In early September 2023, Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar reportedly disappeared from Shin Bet surveillance and sent a message via a Fatah representative to Israeli officials, warning of a "big surprise" or "earthquake" if negotiations did not progress. This information reached Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who then passed it to Netanyahu on September 15.

Bin Zayed's direct call to Netanyahu, conducted via a secure phone through a UAE embassy representative at the Prime Minister's office, lasted about 45 minutes. During the call, bin Zayed allegedly reiterated the threat of a large-scale Hamas operation. Netanyahu reportedly attempted to reassure the UAE president, stating Israel was "ready in Gaza" and suggesting any potential issues might arise in Judea and Samaria instead. The investigation claims that after this conversation, Netanyahu failed to brief then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, or Mossad chief David Barnea.

Representatives from the IDF and Shin Bet told the authors that knowledge of the UAE president's warning would have served as additional confirmation of the September 15 intelligence. The Prime Minister's Office has vehemently denied the book's claims, issuing a statement calling them "an absolute lie" and asserting that Netanyahu did not speak with the UAE president during the specified period or receive any warnings. However, former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi confirmed they were not informed of the UAE president's warning. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated the publication is true and that Netanyahu bears "personal and direct responsibility" for the failures leading to the October 7 attacks, calling his alleged ignorance "criminal negligence."