Egypt's Intelligence Chief Warned Israel of Hamas Attack 10 Days Prior

Egypt's former Director of General Intelligence, Abbas Kamel, reportedly warned senior Israeli officials about an impending large-scale Hamas attack approximately ten days before the October 7th events. According to a report by The Atlantic, Kamel met with Israeli officials at Ben Gurion Airport on September 26th. During this meeting, Kamel conveyed that Hamas was preparing for a significant assault, though he did not provide specific intelligence regarding the timing or exact scenario. He emphasized the urgent need for Israel to take measures to prevent an "explosion" in Gaza and suggested offering additional economic concessions to Hamas as a preventative step.

It remains unclear what actions, if any, Israeli officials took following Kamel's warning. Representatives for Prime Minister Netanyahu did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Atlantic. However, Tzachi Hanegbi, who served as National Security Advisor at the time of the October 7th attack, categorically denied both Kamel's September 26th visit to Israel and any Egyptian warning to The Atlantic. The Prime Minister's office had previously also denied reports that the head of Egyptian intelligence had personally warned Netanyahu.