Egyptian intelligence warned Israel about an imminent Hamas attack ten days before October 7, but Israeli officials reportedly ignored the warnings, focusing instead on other regional issues. Despite confirmations from various sources, Israel’s military investigations did not address these warnings, raising serious questions about intelligence reliability and response preparedness as tensions in the region escalate.
Ten days prior to the Hamas assault on October 7, an Egyptian intelligence official contacted me with a critical warning: “Something big is about to happen in Gaza.” He stated that Egypt had notified Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office of an imminent threat. Despite this alarming communication, the Israeli response was strikingly nonchalant, as officials seemed more focused on the volatile situation in the West Bank than on the warnings from Egypt.
While the Egyptian official did not disclose the recipient of the warning, following his statement, similar alerts were reported by The Associated Press and The Financial Times. Furthermore, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, echoed the concerns regarding the failed intelligence: “A representative from Egyptian intelligence informed me that Hamas was preparing something catastrophic against Israel.”
This alarming intel had been long anticipated, as evidence showed the October 7 attack was orchestrated over a year, and Hamas had been training fighters near the Gaza border undetected for two years. Contrarily, Israel’s expansive surveillance network failed to identify these threatening movements, emphasizing a disconnect between the warnings received and the actions taken.
When I communicated with the Egyptian official, he expressed confidence in the reliability of their intelligence reports to Israel. Trusting this information, I published it, which coincided with similar confirmations from credible foreign media. However, weeks later, even after providing details to a senior official from Israel’s State Comptroller’s Office, I was dismayed to find that the military investigations neglected to mention the Egyptian warnings.
The oversight in acknowledging Egypt’s warning has raised serious inquiries regarding Israel’s intelligence response. The pressing questions now arise: Why did Egyptian officials seek to alert Israel, if their concerns went disregarded? And significantly, why did Israeli authorities fail to heed such a pivotal warning? Meanwhile, a summit of 22 Arab nations is set to take place in Cairo, further amplifying regional concerns.
As Egypt ramps up its military readiness, General Ahmed Safi al-Din reassured that this buildup aims to ensure regional peace and stability. Nevertheless, Israel remains increasingly apprehensive about these developments. Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi articulated the potential volatility: “Egypt has a large army with advanced weapons. Right now, it is not a threat, but the situation could change in an instant.”
The negligence regarding the Egyptian warning serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the perils of complacency in Israel’s intelligence apparatus. With rising tensions, it remains to be seen how many more vital signals may be overlooked before another crisis emerges.
In conclusion, the failure of Israeli intelligence to appropriately respond to Egypt’s warnings about a looming Hamas threat underscores significant gaps in situational awareness. Despite receiving critical alerts from reliable Egyptian sources, Israeli officials remained distracted and disengaged. This incident not only indicates a troubling complacency within Israel’s defense establishment, but it also raises urgent questions about future crises and preparedness in a volatile region.
Original Source: www.ynetnews.com
