New Report Revives Questions on Israel's Knowledge Before Oct. 7 Attack
A new investigation by The Atlantic has reignited attention on a December 2023 report by Israel Hayom concerning a warning Egypt allegedly provided to Israel before the October 7 Hamas attack. The Atlantic's report, published Friday night, details Egypt's alleged warning, bringing renewed focus to the original work by Israel Hayom journalist Bini Ashkenazi.
Ashkenazi's initial report stated that on September 26, 2023, an aircraft linked to Egyptian intelligence landed at Ben Gurion Airport while top Israeli officials attended a ceremony. The plane reportedly stayed for about an hour before returning to Cairo. Notably, then-Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi was absent from the ceremony. The investigation did not definitively state that Hanegbi met with then-Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel on the plane, but considered it a possibility, partly due to Hanegbi's absence.
Sources cited in the original Israel Hayom report indicated that the Israeli Foreign Ministry had received messages about a tense situation in Gaza prior to October 7. An Egyptian source allegedly warned the National Security Council of "something big" about to happen. However, the Foreign Ministry stated at the time that the reported meeting did not occur and no such information was conveyed. The National Security Council also denied receiving a specific warning about the October 7 attack and was unaware of any Egyptian plane landing in Israel on that date.
Following The Atlantic's publication, journalist Shlomi Eldar credited Ashkenazi and Israel Hayom for revealing details in December 2023, though he noted the story "flew under the radar." Eldar also claimed on social media that Hanegbi did meet Kamel and asserted that Hanegbi would have informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This assertion by Eldar contrasts with the original Israel Hayom report, which left the meeting between Hanegbi and Kamel as an open question.
Commentators like Revital Solomon have pointed out discrepancies, noting The Atlantic did not identify Kamel's specific contact, while Ashkenazi had suggested Hanegbi as a potential Israeli counterpart, citing his ceremony absence. Analyst Shmuel Meir recalled the initial denials from the Foreign Ministry and National Security Council, suggesting subsequent reports raise further questions about these official statements. The core questions remain: what exactly was communicated to Israeli officials before October 7, who received it, and did the information reach Prime Minister Netanyahu?
