Kamel’s warning, disputed
Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel traveled to Israel on September 26, 2023, and The Atlantic reported that he warned senior Israeli officials that Hamas was preparing for a major attack and urged economic concessions to prevent Gaza from escalating. The Atlantic’s reconstruction, as cited by multiple outlets, placed Kamel’s visit at Ben Gurion Airport for 67 minutes, and a former Israeli official summarized the message as: “If you do not change your course, Gaza will explode in your faces.” Netanyahu’s office denied the claim, saying it was “a false claim,” and it added that Egypt officially denied the warning on October 11, 2023.
The Jerusalem Post described the warning as lacking a specific attack plan, and it said Kamel did not provide a date or identify targets during the hour-long visit. The Times of Israel reported that Netanyahu’s office said no Israeli intelligence official conveyed such a warning to the prime minister, while the report itself framed the Atlantic account as being recycled to mislead the Israeli public.
Arab NewsWarnings before Oct. 7
The Atlantic’s account, as relayed by Arab News, said Kamel arrived at Ben Gurion Airport on September 26, 2023, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to mark the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Arab News reported that The Atlantic said Kamel warned Israeli officials that Hamas appeared to be preparing for a major attack and urged economic concessions to Gaza, while a former Israeli official told the magazine the message was that Gaza would “blow up” if Israel did not change course. The Jerusalem Post said officials from seven countries argued that Kamel’s presence in Israel should have drawn attention from Israel’s political and security leadership, and it quoted a former Israeli official saying, “The messenger was the message.”
The Atlantic’s reconstruction also described a broader pattern of warnings, and Arab News said the October 7 attack came 11 days after Kamel’s visit, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages to Gaza. The New Arab reported that Netanyahu’s office denied receiving warnings from Egypt, and it said Tzachi Hanegbi also denied to The Atlantic that Kamel had visited or that Egypt had issued a warning.
DIE WELTAftermath and political stakes
The Atlantic’s reporting, as summarized by PBS, said the intelligence chief’s trip lasted 67 minutes and that he conveyed ominous signs that Gaza could potentially blow, while the panel discussed Vivian Salama’s account of the warning. PBS quoted Vivian Salama describing the warning as not including an exact date, saying, “He didn’t have an exact date.” The Atlantic’s account, as described by Arab News, said the failure to prepare for the October 7 attack became a major issue in Israeli politics, and it reported that Netanyahu faced demands for an independent state investigation including from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
Left out by 7 of 8who reported it
The Washington Week panel discusses Vivian Salama’s report.. Reported by PBS.
Arab News also said Netanyahu opposed an independent inquiry and instead sought a politically appointed commission that would include opposition representatives, while opposition leaders resisted the proposal. The Times of Israel reported that Netanyahu’s office again denied the Atlantic allegation and reiterated that Egypt officially denied warning Israel on October 11, 2023, as the dispute continued into the period leading up to elections.