Netanyahu Confirms Egyptian Intelligence Chief Visited Israel Days Before Oct. 7

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that Egypt's former intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, landed in Israel just days before the October 7th Hamas attacks. Netanyahu made the admission during an interview on Channel 14's "The Patriots" program, referencing a report by The Atlantic. However, Netanyahu asserted that he did not meet with Kamel at that time, stating he was attending a memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers of the Yom Kippur War. He also expressed ignorance about whom the Egyptian official met with, demanding to know who held such a meeting. "He didn't speak with me. Since when does an intelligence chief speak with a head of state? It never happened to me once," Netanyahu said in the interview, despite having hosted Kamel at the Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem in 2021.

This confirmation follows a report from The Atlantic approximately three weeks prior, which alleged Kamel made a brief visit to Israel 11 days before October 7th. During that visit, Kamel reportedly warned of a major Hamas offensive, stating, "If you don't change course, Gaza will explode in your face." Following the initial report, the Prime Minister's office denied that Netanyahu met with Kamel but did not deny Kamel's arrival in Israel.