Netanyahu rejects report Egypt warned Israel before October 7 attack

Egypt reportedly warned Israel shortly before the October 7, 2023, attack that Palestinian militant group Hamas appeared to be preparing a major assault, according to a report by US magazine The Atlantic.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office rejected the report on Saturday, calling the allegation false and saying it had been denied at the time and was now being “recycled to manipulate the Israeli public.”

Less than two weeks before the attack, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel travelled to Israel and warned that Hamas appeared to be “mobilizing for a major attack,” The Atlantic reported, citing government officials in Israel, Egypt and other Arab countries, as well as officials in the United States and Europe.

Kamel reportedly warned that the window to avert a catastrophe was closing and recommended that Israel make economic concessions to Hamas to prevent an escalation.

Kamel is one of the most influential intelligence officials in the Middle East and has played a leading role in Egyptian and Qatari mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas during the Gaza war. He has travelled to Israel several times in recent years.

The report does not say whom Kamel met during his roughly hour-long visit. A former Israeli government official cited by the magazine said it was inconceivable that Netanyahu had not known about the visit or meetings with Israeli intelligence officials.

Two days after the October 7 attack, Netanyahu’s office denied that Egypt had issued such a warning and said there had been no direct or indirect meeting between Netanyahu and Kamel.

The report follows a recent article by Israeli newspaper Haaretz saying the United Arab Emirates had also warned Netanyahu about a possible Hamas attack.

According to Haaretz, Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed told Netanyahu that then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a large-scale offensive. Netanyahu’s office has also denied that report and announced plans to sue the newspaper for defamation.

The reports come ahead of Israel’s upcoming parliamentary election.