Egyptian Intelligence Chief Visit to Israel Before Oct. 7 Was a Hoax, Report Says
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
A report claiming Egypt's intelligence chief visited Israel before the October 7th attack has been revealed as false, despite weeks of media coverage and confirmation from former military secretary Avi Gill. Security officials only denied the visit after Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the issue, leading to criticism of the media for amplifying unsubstantiated claims. The incident is seen as potentially strengthening Netanyahu's political standing.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A report about Egypt's intelligence chief visiting Israel before Oct. 7 was baseless, according to Israeli security sources.
- Former military secretary Avi Gill had confirmed the Egyptian plane's landing in Israel.
- Israeli media amplified the story, implying a meeting between the Egyptian chief and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
- Security officials failed to refute the claims for weeks, only denying them after Netanyahu's public comment.
- The media is accused of sensationalism and potentially boosting Netanyahu's support through the controversy.
A report alleging that Egypt's intelligence chief landed in Israel before the October 7th Hamas attack has been debunked as baseless, yet security officials failed to refute it for weeks. The story, which originated in an Atlantic Council report, gained traction in Israeli media with implications that the intelligence chief met with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Former military secretary Avi Gill publicly confirmed the Egyptian plane's landing in Israel and its hour-long stay, without qualifying that an intelligence chief's visit would require high-level knowledge. Gill stated the plane would not have landed without reason, a claim widely reported by media outlets critical of Netanyahu.
However, after Netanyahu addressed the issue on "HaPatriotim," claiming Kamal was indeed in Israel, security sources suddenly denied any knowledge of such a visit. These sources are now attempting to shift responsibility to Netanyahu, suggesting he should reveal who Kamal met with if the visit occurred.
According to the report, Netanyahu himself fell for the false reports due to their extensive amplification and the lack of timely refutation by security officials. The media is criticized for sensationalism and compromising its principles for ratings, potentially leading to unintended consequences that could bolster Netanyahu's support as a protest vote against perceived hostile elements.
