Egyptian Intelligence Chief Warned Netanyahu of Attack Before Oct. 7, Report Claims

The head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, contacted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in early October 2023 to warn of a potential attack from the Gaza Strip, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Arab government officials. Kamel reportedly reached out to Netanyahu after two previous warnings from Egypt to Israel went unheeded. These warnings, however, did not specify the timing or scale of the potential offensive.

The report aligns with recent publications detailing prior warnings conveyed to Israel before the October 7th Hamas attacks. According to the Journal, Egyptian warnings began months earlier, with Egyptian officials telling their Israeli counterparts in June 2023 that the situation in Gaza was unstable and urging a return to negotiations with Hamas. In September, Kamel allegedly delivered a more urgent message during a visit to Israel, stating that the situation in Gaza was dire and could explode. Israeli officials, however, reportedly responded that the situation was under control.

Egyptian officials continued to warn Israel up to 48 hours before the attack, according to sources who spoke to the Journal. The warnings lacked precise dates or an assessment of the attack's scope. This report follows previous accounts, including one in The Atlantic, suggesting Kamel visited Israel secretly on September 26th to warn Israeli officials of a significant Hamas buildup. Another message from Egypt on October 5th reportedly indicated a potential escalation in Gaza.

U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul also stated after the attacks that Egypt had warned Israel three days prior about the possibility of such an event. The Wall Street Journal also noted reports of warnings from the UAE to Israel. Arab sources told the Journal that they observed a shift in the tone and threats from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, alongside frequent meetings between Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives in Gaza.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's office vehemently denied the report, calling it a "false claim" that was "recycled to mislead the Israeli public." They stated that Netanyahu did not meet or speak with Kamel in the months preceding October 7th, and no Israeli intelligence official conveyed such a warning to the Prime Minister. Egypt officially denied warning Israel about the October 7th attack on October 11, 2023.