Netanyahu Denies US Report Claiming Egypt Warned Israel Before October 7 Attack

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied a report by American magazine "The Atlantic" stating that Egypt had warned Israel about the October 7, 2023 attack, and that "Hamas" was preparing for a major assault.

Netanyahu's office described the content of the report as "false" on Saturday, saying these claims had already been denied at the time, and that their current reappearance aims to "manipulate Israeli public opinion."

"The Atlantic" quoted government officials in Israel, Egypt, and other Arab countries, along with officials in the United States and Europe, stating that then-Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel visited Israel less than two weeks before the attack, warning that "Hamas" appeared to be "mobilizing to launch a major attack."

According to the report, Kamel informed the Israeli side that the time available to avoid escalation was nearly exhausted, and suggested offering economic concessions to "Hamas" in an attempt to prevent escalation.

Kamel played a key role in Egyptian and Qatari mediation efforts between Israel and "Hamas" during the Gaza war, and also visited Israel several times in recent years.

The report did not identify the officials Kamel met with during his visit, which lasted about an hour. However, the magazine quoted a former Israeli government official as saying it is inconceivable that Netanyahu was unaware of the visit or the meetings Kamel held with Israeli intelligence officials.

Two days after the October 7 attack, Netanyahu's office denied that Egypt had issued such a warning, stating that no meeting, direct or indirect, had taken place between Netanyahu and Kamel.

The "The Atlantic" report follows an article recently published by the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz," which stated that the United Arab Emirates had also warned Netanyahu about a potential "Hamas" attack.

According to "Haaretz," UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed informed Netanyahu that then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning to launch a large-scale attack. Netanyahu's office also denied this account, announcing its intention to sue the newspaper for defamation.

These reports come ahead of Israel's upcoming parliamentary elections.

Source: "The Atlantic"