Egypt Warned Israel of Gaza 'Explosion' Days Before Oct. 7 Attack

Egypt's intelligence chief visited Israel 11 days before the October 7th Hamas attack and warned of a significant escalation in Gaza, according to a new report by The Atlantic. Abbas Kamel reportedly met with Israeli officials on September 26, 2023, conveying that Hamas was preparing for a major offensive and that the window to prevent such an event was closing.

Sources speaking to the magazine stated that Kamel advised Israel to provide economic relief to Hamas to de-escalate tensions, warning that if Israel did not change its policy towards Gaza, "Gaza will explode in your face." The intelligence chief's visit was brief, with his plane reportedly staying in Israel for only 67 minutes before returning to Cairo. However, the report notes that Kamel did not provide a specific date, target, or operational details that could have precisely predicted the subsequent attack, nor is it clear to whom exactly in Israel the message was delivered.

According to the report, Kamel's warning was not the only one received from Egypt. Egyptian officials continued to relay concerns about the situation in Gaza in the days following his visit. On October 5th, just two days before the attack, Egypt sent another message to Israel regarding the possibility of an escalation in the Strip. Jordan also reportedly conveyed similar messages, according to Arab sources.

Meanwhile, the United States also detected signs of deterioration. The CIA reportedly circulated an assessment on September 28th suggesting Hamas might conduct an operation involving rocket fire towards Israel. A further assessment was circulated on October 5th, but neither accurately predicted the scale of the attack that occurred on October 7th.