Brief
Egyptian intelligence chief warned Israel of major Hamas attack in September 2023
Abbas Kamel’s September 2023 visit to Israel included a rare warning about a large‑scale Hamas attack that was not acted upon.
By Felo News Desk · Published
On September 26, 2023, Abbas Kamel, then head of Egypt’s intelligence, made a discreet 67‑minute visit to Israel, meeting senior national‑security officials and warning of a "major" Hamas attack, France24 reported. The warning came as Israel’s own surveillance and the United Arab Emirates’ leadership also detected unusual Hamas activity in the weeks before the Oct. 7 assault. A former Israeli official told Salama, "There is no world where top Israeli officials meet with the head of Egyptian intelligence and Benjamin Netanyahu is not aware," underscoring the puzzling lack of response. Subsequent Israeli inquiries have acknowledged profound failures in assessing Hamas capabilities and intentions, raising questions about why critical intelligence did not translate into action.
Key facts
- Abbas Kamel visited Israel on September 26, 2023 for about 67 minutes. (france24.com)
- During the visit Kamel warned senior Israeli security officials of a major Hamas attack. (france24.com)
- Israeli and UAE officials also detected unusual Hamas activity before Oct. 7. (france24.com)
- A former Israeli official said no top Israeli official could meet Kamel without Netanyahu being aware. (france24.com)
Sources
- [1] france24.com — originally reported as “Spotlight - Egypt warned Israel of 'major' Hamas attack: 'No world' where Netanyahu's not aware (Vivian Salama)”
