An Atlantic investigation says Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel secretly visited Israel on Sept. 26, 2023, 11 days before the Oct. 7 attack, and warned that Hamas appeared to be preparing a major assault; he gave no date, targets or concrete details.
The Atlantic said Israeli airport logs and independent flight tracking showed a chartered plane linked to Egyptian intelligence landed on Sept. 26 and left 67 minutes later. Officials from Israel, Arab countries, the US and Europe briefed after the attack told the magazine Kamel delivered the warning. The report said he urged economic steps to ease Gaza tensions, but it remains unclear whom he met.
Egyptian, Israeli and US officials told The Atlantic that Egypt sent another message on Oct. 5, warning that the situation could not continue and expressing urgency about a possible attack, but giving no date or method. After Oct. 7, Netanyahu's office rejected reports of a prior Egyptian warning. Tzachi Hanegbi, then head of Israel's National Security Council, told the magazine Kamel had not visited and no warning was delivered. The magazine said Netanyahu's and Sisi's offices did not respond to its latest inquiries.
