The office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, categorically denied having received a warning from the United Arab Emirates about an imminent Hamas attack just days before October 7, 2023. The denial comes after the Haaretz newspaper published an investigation based on a book to be released soon, which claims that the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed, contacted Netanyahu during the last week of September 2023 to warn him that Hamas was planning a major operation. According to the same source, Netanyahu allegedly did not pass on this warning to his security chiefs.
The United Arab Emirates refused to comment directly on the allegations, stating that they do not comment on speculation about conversations between leaders, but said in a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that any relevant intelligence information is and continues to be shared between the entities involved when necessary.
The publication of the investigation provoked fierce criticism from figures in the Israeli opposition, at a time when Israel is approaching legislative elections scheduled for October 27. The opposition has been increasing pressure on Netanyahu, demanding the creation of an independent inquiry commission with members appointed by the Supreme Court, a measure that the Prime Minister has rejected. The Haaretz news indicates that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, later killed by Israel, told a Fatah intermediary that a "terrifying operation" was being prepared, information that allegedly reached an Emirati official.
The Israeli authorities were seeking to maintain the status quo in Gaza, convinced that Hamas preferred to avoid a major conflict to ensure its survival. This mistaken conception explains, according to Israeli security services, why the armed forces were caught off guard by the attack of October 7, which killed 1,221 people according to official Israeli data. The Israeli retaliation that followed devastated the Gaza Strip, causing 73,658 deaths according to the Health Ministry controlled by Hamas, figures considered reliable by the United Nations.
