US Report on Egyptian Warnings Before Oct. 7 Ignites Israeli Political Firestorm

A detailed report in The Wall Street Journal, citing Arab government officials, claims Egypt provided Israel with three distinct warnings in the months and days preceding the October 7th Hamas attack. The report reignites political and media controversy over the Israeli political leadership's responsibility and awareness.

According to the report, the first warning from Cairo came in June 2023, concerning growing unrest in Gaza. In September, Egypt's then-intelligence chief Abbas Kamel visited Israel and warned of a severe security deterioration, but was reportedly told the situation was under control. The most dramatic claim alleges Kamel spoke directly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the days before the attack, warning of an "unusual operation." These warnings reportedly continued until about 48 hours before the attack, though they lacked precise timing or details of the breach.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's office issued a fierce denial, calling the report a "false blood libel" intended to overthrow his government. Netanyahu stated he never spoke with Kamel directly or without Israeli security officials present. In an unprecedented move, Netanyahu also accused Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar of knowing about a serious danger on the night of October 7th but failing to update the Prime Minister, mobilize forces, or evacuate the Nova music festival.

This latest report adds to previous publications about strategic warnings given to the political echelon in the summer of 2023. However, past investigations suggested that detailed tactical intelligence, such as the "Jericho Wall" plan and specific observation post warnings, were held at professional levels and not presented to the Prime Minister.

Amid the official dispute, public discourse and social media have seen sharp criticism regarding the timing of these foreign publications. Many commentators express skepticism, questioning why the IDF and Shin Bet would have continued with routine operations and failed to raise alerts if such detailed warnings were indeed received. This perspective suggests a coordinated campaign by elements within the security establishment and foreign media to shift blame from the operational failures of the attack night onto the political leadership.