The WSJ, citing Arab government officials, reports Egypt gave Israel at least three warnings before Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack, including a call from intelligence chief Abbas Kamel to Netanyahu days before. Netanyahu denies receiving warnings.
Officials briefed after Oct. 7 about Kamel’s visit said he warned that Hamas appeared to be preparing a major attack and urged economic steps to ease tensions in Gaza. He gave no date, targets or concrete details, and it remains unclear whom he met during the hour-long visit. Warnings at the time generally focused on possible escalation, rocket fire or renewed violence, not an assault on the scale of Oct. 7.
The WSJ also reported, citing Arab officials, that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed called Netanyahu in September 2023 about indications of an upcoming Hamas attack. Sources said Netanyahu did not seem convinced; the warning did not specify the attack’s timing or scale.
