Egyptian Intelligence Chief Warned Netanyahu of Attack Before Oct. 7

Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel reportedly called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in early October 2023 to warn of a potential attack from the Gaza Strip, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal citing Arab government officials. This call followed two earlier warnings from Egypt that Israel had not adequately addressed. Egyptian warnings had been escalating for months, with general concerns about instability in Gaza raised in June 2023 and a more urgent message about the potential for an explosion delivered in September by Kamel during a visit to Israel. Israeli officials reportedly dismissed these concerns, stating the situation was under control.

Further warnings were allegedly conveyed up to 48 hours before the October 7th Hamas attack, though sources emphasized these did not include specific dates or the scale of the impending assault. This latest report adds to a series of publications detailing prior warnings received by Netanyahu. For instance, The Atlantic reported that Kamel visited Israel secretly on September 26th to alert Israeli officials about Hamas preparing for a significant attack, though the recipient was not specified. Another message about a potential escalation in Gaza was reportedly sent by Egypt on October 5th.

These reports align with statements made by former U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, who stated Egypt warned Israel three days prior to the attack that "something like this could happen." The Wall Street Journal also noted reports of warnings from the UAE. Arab sources told the paper that they observed changes in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's rhetoric and increased meetings between Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials in Gaza.

Earlier reports indicated that UAE intelligence had warned Israeli intelligence in mid-September about a potential violent action by Hamas by the end of the month. After no attack occurred, Israeli officials reportedly dismissed the UAE's intelligence as inaccurate. A message from Sinwar, conveyed through Fatah official Sufian Abu Zaida, also spoke of an "earthquake" regarding prisoners and missing persons, which was interpreted in a security discussion as potentially related to the case of Elisheva Tsurkov, held in Iraq at the time.

Netanyahu was reportedly informed of potential Hamas attack signs during a September meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, but appeared unconvinced. The Prime Minister's Office has denied previous reports of discussions between Netanyahu and Kamel before October 7th, stating no Israeli intelligence official conveyed such a warning to the Prime Minister. They also denied the report about the conversation with bin Zayed, asserting no warning was passed from the UAE to the Prime Minister before the attack.