Ex-Defense Minister Gallant Confirms Hamas Warning About Prison Unrest

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed on Sunday that Hamas had issued a warning about potential unrest in Israeli prisons prior to the October 7th attacks. Speaking on a radio interview, Gallant stated that a message conveyed through the Shin Bet security agency indicated that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar intended to "shake up the prisons." Gallant added that the assessment by the Shin Bet and military intelligence was that this threat related to the abduction of Israeli-American academic Elizabeth Tsurkov.

Gallant also addressed reports of warnings from the United Arab Emirates, stating he was hearing about them for the first time through the media. He emphasized that if such warnings were received by the Prime Minister from a state leader, they should be treated as a national security asset, not a political one.

Furthermore, Gallant denied any knowledge of a visit by the head of Egyptian intelligence to Israel in the days leading up to October 7th. He asserted that such an event would not have occurred without his awareness or the involvement of his subordinates.

This comes after a report by The Atlantic claimed that the head of Egyptian intelligence landed in Israel less than two weeks before the October 7th massacre, warning of a significant Hamas buildup for a large-scale attack.