UAE Leader Warned Netanyahu of Hamas Attack Before Oct. 7, Report Claims

The New York Times has published a new investigation, citing several sources familiar with the matter, confirming a conversation between UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly before the October 7th Hamas attacks. According to the report, bin Zayed warned Netanyahu about a potential large-scale attack being planned by Hamas. Netanyahu has vehemently denied such a conversation ever took place, while the UAE has declined to issue a definitive denial.

Sources told The New York Times that bin Zayed's warning did not include specific details about whether Hamas intended a rocket barrage or a ground invasion. The newspaper also reported that Netanyahu did not relay this warning to Israeli security chiefs. A protocol from a Gaza situation meeting Netanyahu held on October 1, 2023, reportedly shows no mention of the UAE president's warning. Instead, Netanyahu is said to have emphasized maintaining calm in Gaza and opposed striking Hamas leaders, fearing it would jeopardize normalization talks with Saudi Arabia.

Earlier reports suggested bin Zayed's information stemmed from a message from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to an intermediary known as "Coal Eyes." However, the NYT investigation notes that the original source of the warning remains unknown. Months after the alleged September conversation, bin Zayed reportedly mentioned his call with Netanyahu to then-CIA Director William Burns, stating he had discussed the "real and immediate threat of violence from Hamas."

According to five former senior Israeli officials cited by the NYT, the alleged phone call and warning were not mentioned in IDF internal investigations following the October 7th massacre. The report also acknowledges that Israeli security leadership, not just Netanyahu, underestimated the threat, recalling Hamas's "Jericho Wall" invasion plan from 2022, which was dismissed as unrealistic but later partially executed.

Palestinian politician Dr. Sufian Abu Zaida, a former Palestinian Authority minister, stated in a Facebook video that he was the intermediary "Coal Eyes." He claimed that in mid-September, he conveyed a message from Sinwar to Israel, stating, "Before the end of September, we will lay the cards on the table. There will be an earthquake regarding negotiations, and they (the Israelis) should prepare for the emptying of prisons."