Netanyahu's Office Denies Egyptian Intelligence Chief Warned of Oct. 7 Attack

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vehemently denied reports that the head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, personally warned Netanyahu of an impending attack from the Gaza Strip prior to October 7, 2023. The denial comes after American media outlets, citing sources within Arab governments, reported such a warning had been issued. "This is a false claim. It was refuted then, and now it is being used again to mislead the Israeli public," stated Netanyahu's office. The Prime Minister's office recalled that Egypt itself denied warning Israel about an impending Hamas attack on October 11, 2023. According to Netanyahu's office, he did not meet or speak with Abbas Kamel in the months leading up to October 7, and no Israeli intelligence official conveyed such a warning to the Prime Minister. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that Kamel allegedly called Netanyahu days before the Hamas attack, following two earlier Egyptian warnings, and that Cairo continued to issue cautions up to 48 hours before the assault. However, the report noted that these warnings did not contain specific details about the exact timing or scale of the attack.