Netanyahu Received Multiple Warnings on Hamas Attack Plans Before Oct. 7

President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reportedly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approximately 10 days before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that Yahya Sinwar was planning a major operation against Israel. This warning, detailed in an excerpt from a book by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval published September 8, was allegedly not passed on to Israel's security chiefs. The conversation between the two leaders reportedly lasted 45 minutes.

Separately, on October 1, 2023, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar recommended eliminating Sinwar, citing his "arrogance" and Hamas's intentions to carry out attacks in the West Bank. Netanyahu reportedly asked for "plans" and to "consider" the matter, which some security officials viewed as a delay tactic. He did not mention the UAE's warning during this discussion. Tensions were high between Netanyahu and security officials at the time due to warnings about the consequences of the government's judicial reform, with concerns that Israel's enemies perceived weakness.

Intelligence documents, including one codenamed "Jericho Wall" from the Military Intelligence Directorate (AMAN) in spring 2022, detailed potential large-scale attacks by Hamas. A July 27, 2022, meeting led by Brigadier General Yaron Finkelman, then head of the Operations Directorate, discussed preparing for war based on the "Jericho Wall" scenario, but no significant actions were taken. Finkelman himself was reportedly misled by Hamas's disinformation tactics on the morning of October 7.

In July 2023, AMAN directly warned Netanyahu about new, serious security threats, stating that Israel's enemies saw an "historic opportunity" due to the country's internal crisis. The warnings highlighted the weakening of Israel's deterrence, specifically its military strength, alliance with the U.S., economy, and internal cohesion. Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar also warned Netanyahu on July 24, 2023, about an impending war, emphasizing that enemies perceived Israeli weakness.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid also delivered a "warning speech" about two weeks before the attack, citing intelligence information and stating that Israel was "dangerously close to a brutal conflict on several fronts." Lapid later stated he was informed of warnings during a security briefing with Netanyahu on August 21, 2023, where escalating threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and Gaza were discussed, but Netanyahu appeared indifferent. The Prime Minister's Office has denied receiving any warning from the UAE president, calling the report "complete lies."