Egyptian Intelligence Chief Warned Netanyahu of Hamas Attack Multiple Times

Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel reportedly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at least three times about an impending large-scale Hamas attack before the October 7th massacre, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The final warning allegedly came in early October, following a security discussion where Netanyahu reportedly dismissed the warnings and refused a proposal to neutralize Hamas leaders.

Earlier reports indicated Kamel visited Israel on September 26, 2023, eleven days before the attack, delivering a stark message: "If you don't change direction, Gaza is about to blow up in your face." While Kamel did not provide specific dates or details about the planned assault, his plane remained on the ground in Israel for 67 minutes before returning to Cairo. This visit occurred just two hours before Netanyahu spoke at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, stating, "We do not underestimate any threat."

These revelations follow earlier reports that Netanyahu was also warned by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and that he failed to address the Egyptian warning during a security assessment meeting on October 1, 2023. An Egyptian intelligence source told the Associated Press on October 9, 2023, that Egypt had warned Israel about "something big" approximately ten days before the attack, but Israel focused on the West Bank and underestimated the threat from Gaza.

Netanyahu's office has vehemently denied these claims, calling them "completely false" and a recycled attempt to manipulate the public. They stated that Egypt officially denied warning Israel on October 11, 2023, and that Netanyahu never met or spoke with Kamel in the months preceding the events, nor did any Israeli intelligence official convey such a warning to him. The Prime Minister's office reiterated, "Recycled lies will not become truth, no matter how many times they are repeated."

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of "Yisrael," stated that the accumulated evidence leaves no room for doubt that Netanyahu "blindly, arrogantly, and irresponsibly led the State of Israel to the greatest disaster in its history." He criticized attempts to evade responsibility and asserted that Netanyahu "clearly and unequivocally betrayed the public's trust and his role." Eisenkot argued that Netanyahu and cabinet members who haven't taken responsibility are unfit to lead Israel's recovery and that citizens will elect a responsible government next month to establish a state commission of inquiry.