Ex-Mossad Official Denies Receiving Warnings from Egypt or UAE Before Oct. 7

A former senior official in Israel's Mossad intelligence agency has stated he has no recollection of receiving specific warnings from Egypt or the United Arab Emirates prior to the October 7th Hamas attacks. Il Tzur Cohen, who headed the Mossad's Intelligence Division in September and October 2023, told Army Radio that he also does not recall any visits from Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel during that period.

Cohen's remarks come in response to recent reports, including one in The Wall Street Journal, suggesting that Egypt had issued multiple warnings to Israel about an impending attack from Gaza. According to these reports, Kamel personally contacted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in early October 2023, delivering what was described as the third Egyptian warning. Previous alleged warnings were reportedly sent in June and September, with the latter described as more severe, indicating the situation in Gaza was critical and could "explode in everyone's face."

Cohen emphasized that in numerous discussions with Kamel and his staff after October 7th, the Egyptians never claimed to have previously warned Israel. "I never remember that even in hallway conversations or side chats this issue came up - they didn't tell us they had warned," Cohen stated. He added that if Kamel had visited without going through the Mossad's Intelligence Division, it would be highly unusual.

The Wall Street Journal report also cited sources claiming Netanyahu was informed in September 2023 about signs of an impending attack during a conversation with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed, but reportedly "did not seem convinced." The report noted that these warnings lacked specific details on the timing or scale of the attack. The Prime Minister's office has not commented on the specific claims regarding Kamel's call, and has previously denied that such conversations or personal warnings from the UAE president occurred before October 7th. The foreign ministries of Egypt and the UAE also did not respond to requests for comment.