Netanyahu Denies Receiving Hamas Attack Warnings from Egyptian Intelligence Chief

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vehemently denied reports claiming he received warnings from Egypt's intelligence chief prior to the October 7th Hamas attacks. In a post on the social media platform X, Netanyahu refuted a Wall Street Journal report stating that he had not met or spoken with Abbas Kamel, then Director of Egyptian General Intelligence, in the months leading up to the attacks. He also asserted that no Israeli intelligence official conveyed any Egyptian warning to him.

According to the Wall Street Journal, citing Egyptian official sources, Kamel contacted Netanyahu in early October 2023, delivering a warning about an impending attack from Gaza. The report suggested this contact followed Israel's failure to respond to two prior Egyptian warnings about indicators of an imminent assault. Netanyahu stated he has "instructed to file a lawsuit for libel and defamation" regarding the matter, adding that he "never meets or speaks with the head of intelligence of a country without his Israeli counterparts present."

Netanyahu further accused "left-wing media" of conducting a "despicable and false campaign" to attribute the failures and crimes of former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar on the eve of October 7th to him. He claimed that on the night of the attacks, Bar held numerous discussions with then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and head of Military Intelligence Aharon Haliva about the indicators of Hamas's preparations. Despite this, Netanyahu alleged, Bar chose not to inform the Prime Minister, warn IDF forces, or evacuate the Nova music festival, instead sending a limited team, which he argued proves Bar knew of the real danger.

Netanyahu also suggested that "hostile foreign states and elements, including Arab states," are behind these "bloody false fabrications" with the aim of toppling his right-wing government and replacing it with a left-wing government that would withdraw from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Judea and Samaria, and establish a Palestinian state. He concluded that the upcoming election question is "either the right or Palestine."

In a related development, two sources confirmed that Netanyahu's visit to the UAE on Sunday was aimed at asking UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed to deny reports that he had warned Netanyahu about an impending Hamas attack. Two sources familiar with the visit told the Associated Press that the meeting lasted an hour and focused on a Haaretz report about bin Zayed's alleged warning. The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the reports but affirmed maintaining "open and direct lines of communication with Israel" and exchanging "all relevant intelligence information."