Retired General Alleges Egyptian Intelligence Collaborated With Hamas

A retired Israeli Brigadier General, Oren Solomon, claims that an internal report by an Aman (Military Intelligence Directorate) officer after October 7th indicates that Egyptian intelligence collaborated with Hamas, a connection that was not identified by Israel at the time. Solomon stated in an interview that the Egyptian intelligence service did not merely act as a mediator but "cooperated with Hamas on certain matters." He criticized the IDF's post-event investigations, asserting they "fell into the trap" of deception.

Solomon elaborated that the report, authored by Major Y. after October 7th, examined the relationship between Israeli and Egyptian intelligence and Cairo's dealings with Hamas prior to the massacre. He suggested that Egypt might have been part of the deception leading up to October 7th, and Israel failed to grasp the significance of the ties between Egyptian intelligence and Hamas. Solomon argued that Hamas employed a "strategic deception system" against Israel in the years before the attack, aiming to create the impression of seeking a settlement rather than war. This perception, he contended, permeated the IDF, Shin Bet, and Aman, while Egyptian mediators facilitated contacts with Hamas.

According to Solomon, Egyptian intelligence went beyond mediation, engaging in direct communication with Hamas, relaying messages between Israel and the organization, and collaborating on unspecified issues. He believes this behavior should have raised suspicions in Israel, pointing out that critical signs were missed over the years. Despite these indicators, Israel continued to rely on the Egyptian channel for Gaza-related settlement efforts, while Hamas was preparing for conflict. Solomon noted that these interactions with the Egyptian side involved top Israeli security officials, including former Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and former head of Aman Aharon Haliva.

Solomon questioned why the connection with Egyptian intelligence was not thoroughly investigated in the post-October 7th inquiries, asking if it was not worthy of examination. He implied that the IDF's investigations did not address this crucial point.