Netanyahu Weighed Civilian Deal With Hamas Amid Pre-War Warnings

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly disregarded security warnings from Egyptian and Emirati leaders in the weeks before the October 7th Hamas attacks, according to new documents and reporting. A security assessment meeting on October 1, 2023, six days before the massacre, saw Netanyahu allegedly ignore explicit warnings of a "major attack" from Hamas, including one from Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel who visited Israel the day prior. Emirati leader Mohammed bin Zayed also reportedly warned Netanyahu that same week.

Documents revealed by Channel 13 news on Saturday indicate that a key decision made during the October 1st meeting was to "advance civilian regulation with Hamas." This occurred after a September 27th briefing where Netanyahu stated Israel needed to address changing trends in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, and to "continue with preparedness and activity on the fence against disturbances." He also mentioned the need to "intensify messages and actions against incendiary balloons" and "begin to increase the use of moves in the area of humanitarian benefits."

Further documents suggest that despite Netanyahu's claims he was not advised to eliminate Hamas leaders, a directive was issued from his office to "advance operational readiness for the recommended assassinations - Hamas leaders." This directive was part of a broader discussion about preparing for potential escalations, with Netanyahu emphasizing the need for "effective and balanced security activity" rather than succumbing to provocations.

The October 1st meeting, which included then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet, also discussed advancing a historic peace agreement with Saudi Arabia, noting that various actors were trying to thwart this normalization process. Netanyahu reportedly instructed that a "deep assessment" and a "limited security consultation" on "the act of creation" be held soon, leading to the October 1st meeting.