Egypt Warned Netanyahu of Impending Hamas Attack Before October 7

A report by American journalist Vivian Salame for The Atlantic details a secret visit by former Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamal to Israel 11 days before the October 7th Hamas attack. Kamal, sent by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, arrived on a private Cessna and spent 63 minutes on the ground. The purpose of his visit was to warn Israel of Hamas's intentions and express Egyptian fears that an attack could extend to the Sinai Peninsula and beyond.

According to the article, Egypt issued its first warning about "something terrible" being prepared in Gaza on September 26th. Three days after the attack, a high-ranking Egyptian source, who has worked with the author for years and insisted on anonymity, confirmed that Egypt had warned Netanyahu about an imminent "terrible" event from Gaza. This same warning, phrased identically, was reportedly received by the Associated Press and a British newspaper.

The Egyptian source provided the author with additional details, emphasizing the importance of the warning for Israel. The source, described as reliable and never having provided false information, hinted at their identity by briefly acknowledging the author during a visit to the presidential palace. The Cessna's landing at Ben Gurion Airport occurred just hours before a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, attended by Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Kamal's visit also included a proposal for Israel to increase economic aid to Gaza, potentially to prevent conflict, following the cancellation of 180,000 work permits for Gazans in Israel a month prior. An Israeli security source confirmed to both The Atlantic and the author that the message conveyed was: "If Israel does not change its policy, Gaza could explode, against it." The warning was described as firm and unambiguous.

Despite Netanyahu's denials of meeting Kamal during public visits, photographic evidence shows them in conversation. Reports suggest Netanyahu agreed to increase economic aid after Kamal's first visit. A second, more serious warning was reportedly delivered by Egypt on October 5th, though it did not specify the attack date. The article notes that Egyptian authorities share Israel's animosity towards Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and criticizes Israeli leadership for underestimating Hamas leader Sinwar's plans, citing other ignored warnings from within the IDF, including from fallen observer Roni Eshel.