Netanyahu Admits Egyptian Intelligence Chief Visited Israel Pre-Oct. 7

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on Tuesday that former Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel visited Israel before the October 7th Hamas attack. However, Netanyahu denied meeting Kamel during the visit, stating in an interview with Channel 14 that he was attending a memorial service for fallen soldiers when the Egyptian plane landed. He claimed ignorance regarding who Kamel met and expressed a desire to know. Netanyahu asserted that heads of state do not typically meet with intelligence chiefs and that he had never met foreign intelligence heads before.

However, Channel 12 correspondent Gili Cohen pointed out that Netanyahu's statement contradicts previous reports. His office announced in May 2021 that Netanyahu had met with Kamel, who was then the head of Egyptian intelligence. A recent investigation by The Atlantic magazine reported that Kamel secretly arrived in Israel 11 days before the October 7th attack to warn of Hamas's readiness for a major assault and the dwindling time to prevent escalation. The investigation did not specify who Kamel met during his visit, nor did it confirm a meeting with Netanyahu.