Sinwar's Pre-Oct 7 Gaza Warning and Netanyahu's Strategy Under Scrutiny

Palestinian politician Soufian Abu Zayed revealed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar conveyed a message before October 7, 2023, predicting a "earthquake" and "prison break" with an approximate timeline. Abu Zayed stated his role was solely to deliver the message as requested by Sinwar, asserting that the responsibility for interpreting its significance and danger lay with Israeli security agencies, who possessed superior intelligence. He questioned how Israeli leadership and security services handled this message and prior warnings from Sinwar, which he believes were not adequately addressed by the Israeli government.

Abu Zayed linked the events preceding October 7 to a long-standing Israeli policy of maintaining a separation between Gaza and the West Bank, and perpetuating the Palestinian division between Fatah and Hamas. He argued this strategy served Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's objective of preventing a Palestinian state, noting that previous Israeli governments allowed funds into Gaza and maintained communication channels to ensure calm. This approach, he contended, fostered a false sense of security within Israeli intelligence, leading to a failure to treat warnings seriously.

Reflecting on the period since the war began, Abu Zayed criticized the U.S. for its delayed engagement with Palestinians and suggested Netanyahu had an interest in prolonging the conflict. He highlighted ongoing Egyptian, Qatari, and American efforts to broker a ceasefire, specifically mentioning Mohammed Dahlan's role in recent negotiations. These efforts, he explained, were instrumental in persuading Hamas to accept a 15-point roadmap for ending the war, managing Gaza, and its subsequent reconstruction, with the ultimate goal of alleviating Palestinian suffering.