New details have surfaced regarding the warnings Israel reportedly received from Egypt prior to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. According to the Wall Street Journal, echoed by Israeli media, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in early October after two previous alerts from Cairo went unheeded.
The call was reportedly driven by Egypt's growing concern over developments in the Gaza Strip. A source cited in the report claims that Cairo's agencies continued to send warnings to Israel until roughly 48 hours before the offensive.
The Times of Israel, referencing the U.S. newspaper, notes that initial warnings were issued as early as June 2023. At that time, Egypt cautioned Israel about the situation in Gaza and suggested resuming negotiations with Hamas to reach a hostage exchange agreement.
Another significant moment occurred in September of the same year when Kamel visited Israel. According to anonymous Arab government officials mentioned in the report, the Egyptian intelligence chief warned his counterparts that the situation in Gaza had reached a critical point and was at risk of escalation.
However, Israeli officials reportedly assured that the situation was under control. This assessment, according to the report, led Kamel to intervene again in early October, this time with a direct call to Netanyahu's office.
The warnings from Cairo did not include specific details about the timing, methods, or scale of the attack Hamas was planning. This lack of specifics is also noted in earlier accounts of the signals Israel received in the weeks and months leading up to October 7.
Netanyahu had previously denied having spoken with Kamel in the months before the attack.
The report also revisits rumors involving the United Arab Emirates. President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reportedly contacted Netanyahu in September 2023 to alert him about intelligence on a potential imminent Hamas attack. Yet again, no specific details about the timing or scope of the operation were provided.
(Associated Medias) - All rights reserved