Netanyahu Admits Egyptian Spy Chief Visited Israel Before Oct. 7, Denies Meeting
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that former Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel visited Israel before the October 7 Hamas attacks but denied meeting him. Netanyahu stated he did not know who Kamel met during his brief visit, which reportedly included warnings from Egypt about Hamas's intentions. This admission contradicts previous reports and Netanyahu's own past meetings with foreign intelligence chiefs. Kamel's visit, eleven days before the attack, allegedly conveyed warnings of a significant Hamas operation, though details were scarce.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel visited Israel before October 7.
- Netanyahu denied meeting Kamel, stating he did not know who the Egyptian official met.
- Kamel's visit eleven days before the attack reportedly included Egyptian warnings about Hamas.
- Netanyahu's claim contradicts his office's previous acknowledgment of meetings with Kamel.
- Reports suggest Kamel warned of a significant Hamas operation and Israeli indifference.
- Netanyahu's office had previously denied receiving such warnings from Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on Tuesday that former Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel visited Israel shortly before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. However, Netanyahu denied meeting Kamel, claiming he did not know who the Egyptian official met with during the visit. Reports indicate Kamel's visit occurred eleven days prior to the attack and included Egyptian warnings about Hamas's preparations for a large-scale assault from Gaza.
Netanyahu made these statements during an interview with Channel 14, confirming a "Egyptian plane landed in Israel" before the attack. He stated, "I want to know who he met, because there are those who want to attribute that to me." He further asserted that Kamel did not meet him as he was attending a memorial ceremony for fallen IDF soldiers, adding that it is unusual for an intelligence chief to meet a head of state. Netanyahu directed his inquiry to security and enforcement agencies, asking them to identify who Kamel met, given the short duration of his stay, approximately 59 minutes.
Netanyahu's claim of not knowing who Kamel met contradicts previous reports and his own past meetings with foreign intelligence chiefs, including a documented meeting with Kamel in May 2021. The Prime Minister's office had officially announced that prior meeting at the time.
Earlier reports, including one from "The Atlantic," detailed Kamel's visit and his warnings of an imminent, significant Hamas attack. While the specific Israeli officials Kamel met were not clear, and he did not provide an exact attack date, he cautioned about the shrinking window to prevent disaster and urged Israel to provide economic concessions to Hamas to avert military confrontation, warning that "Gaza will explode in your faces" if Israel did not change its policy.
Other reports cited Israeli and Egyptian sources indicating Kamel had warned Netanyahu's office of "something unusual, a massive operation" from Gaza. An Egyptian intelligence source reportedly expressed shock at the Israeli "indifference" to the warning, with Israeli officials stating their security apparatus was focused on the West Bank and that the situation in Gaza was "under control." Netanyahu's office initially denied these reports, calling them "fake news."
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