Egyptian Intelligence Chief Secretly Warned Israel of Hamas Attack: Report

A secret visit by Egypt's then-intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, to Israel on September 26, 2023, just 11 days before the October 7th Hamas attacks, revealed that Hamas was preparing a significant assault, according to an investigation by The Atlantic magazine. Kamel reportedly warned that Gaza could "explode in your face" if Israel did not change course, emphasizing that the window to prevent disaster was closing. He also recommended that Israel offer Hamas economic concessions to avert conflict.

However, the Egyptian message allegedly lacked specific details about the timing or nature of the attack. Israel has vehemently denied both the visit and the receipt of any such warning. Sources cited in the report include Israeli, Egyptian, Arab, American, and European officials.

At the time, efforts were underway to de-escalate tensions along the Gaza border, with Hamas demanding various concessions. In hindsight, it appears Hamas exploited this period to finalize preparations for the attack it had been planning since 2021.

Tsachi Hanegbi, who served as National Security Advisor at the time of the massacre, refuted the report's claims to The Atlantic, stating that Kamel did not visit Israel on that date and no such Egyptian warning was delivered. The Prime Minister's Office has previously stated that Prime Minister Netanyahu did not receive any prior warning from Egypt, directly or indirectly.