UAE Denies Warning Netanyahu on Hamas Attack Before October 7

The Emirati website The National has denied reports that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of an imminent Hamas attack before October 7. An official Emirati source stated that the UAE discusses security issues through relevant bodies and does not share such details at the leadership level. The report suggested that the issue has become a central theme for Israeli politicians in the lead-up to upcoming elections.

This denial follows a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which claimed Netanyahu received explicit intelligence from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar about a planned operation a week and a half before the October 7 massacre, and that Netanyahu did not update security officials. The Prime Minister's office vehemently denied this, calling it a "complete lie" and stating Netanyahu did not speak with the UAE president during the relevant period or receive any warning.

According to Haaretz's investigation, bin Zayed did call Netanyahu from Abu Dhabi for 45 minutes, during which he reportedly expressed concern that Sinwar was planning a major move against Israel that could lead to bloodshed and destabilize the region, potentially harming the Abraham Accords.

Separately, Soufian Abu Zaida, a senior Fatah official and former Palestinian Authority minister, revealed himself as the intermediary who passed the warning to Israel about Sinwar's intentions. In a video, Abu Zaida stated he would soon detail the message Sinwar asked him to convey to the Israeli side, identifying himself as the source known as "Coal Eyes" in the Haaretz report who passed the message to the Shin Bet in September 2023. Abu Zaida also indicated he would discuss efforts over the past year and a half to reach a hostage deal involving prisoner releases, the lifting of the Gaza blockade, and humanitarian aid.

Israeli Knesset member Yulia Malinovsky (Yisrael Beiteinu) commented that Abu Zaida's revelations explain Netanyahu's reluctance to establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 failures, vowing to do so if elected in the next government.