Egyptian Intelligence Chief Warned Netanyahu Three Times Before Oct. 7 Attack

Reports indicate that the former head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, issued at least three warnings to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding an impending Hamas attack prior to October 7th. The final warning reportedly came in early October, after two previous alerts were allegedly ignored. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Kamel visited Israel on September 26, 2023, eleven days before the Hamas massacre, and delivered a stark warning: "If you don't change direction, Gaza is about to explode in your face." However, Kamel did not provide specific dates or details about the planned assault. The Egyptian intelligence chief's visit lasted only 67 minutes on the ground in Israel.

These revelations follow earlier reports suggesting Netanyahu received warnings from other foreign leaders, including UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and that he failed to address these alerts during a security assessment meeting on October 1, 2023. The Prime Minister's Office has not commented on the latest report. In response to previous claims, the Prime Minister's Office has vehemently denied them, stating that the assertion is "completely false" and that Egypt officially denied warning Israel on October 11, 2023. They also stated that Netanyahu did not meet or speak with Kamel prior to the events, and no Israeli intelligence official conveyed such a warning to him.

Despite the denials, a senior Egyptian intelligence official told the Associated Press on October 9, 2023, that Israel had been warned by Egypt about "something big" approximately ten days before the surprise attack but had focused instead on the West Bank and underestimated the threat from Gaza. Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yisrael" party, criticized Netanyahu, stating that the accumulated evidence shows he "led the State of Israel blindly, with complacency and irresponsibility, to the greatest disaster in its history." He added that Netanyahu has clearly "breached the public's trust and his role" and lacks the qualifications to lead the country's recovery.