Did Egypt warn Israel about Hamas attack?

Was Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned by Egypt a few days before the Hamas attack? “We warned them that the situation was going to explode, and that very soon it was going to be something big. But they underestimated those warnings,” an Egyptian intelligence officer told the Associated Press. He claimed that the Israeli government, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had been repeatedly warned by Egypt that the Palestinians were planning “something big.” Yet Israeli officials downplayed the threat from Gaza and instead focused on the occupied West Bank. Jerusalem, however, denied this information. General Abbas Kamel, Egypt’s intelligence minister, is said to have personally conveyed one of these warnings to Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the Ynet news site, which was cited by The Times of Israel, the former told the president of the Israeli government 10 days before the Hamas attack that Palestinians in Gaza were about to do “something unusual, a terrible operation.” According to the source, Netanyahu dismissed the warning, claiming that the Israeli army was already “overwhelmed” by the disturbance in the West Bank. Also Read: From missiles to drones: How Hamas used specialised units to attack Israel The vast majority of supporters of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in the West Bank are Jewish settlers. For the past 18 months, they have urged the government to address escalating tensions in the region. Egypt, on the other hand, has historically served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. Israel’s reaction Israel has refuted all reports that claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a message in advance from Egypt regarding the Hamas attack. The Israel PM Office stated on X (formerly Twitter), “The report to the effect that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a message in advance from Egypt is absolutely false”. It added, “No message in advance has arrived from Egypt and the Prime Minister has neither spoken, nor met, with the head of Egyptian intelligence since the formation of the government, neither directly nor indirectly. This is totally fake news”. [caption id=“attachment_13226882” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Israeli soldiers and a civilian take cover as a siren sounds a warning of incoming rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, near the Israeli Gaza border, southern Israel. AP[/caption] Earlier in the day, in a strongly worded statement, Netanyahu affirmed that the Israeli retaliation has just begun, and Hamas will go through much “tough and terrible” things, The Times of Israel reported. Netanyahu also told local politicians from southern Israel that Israel will transform the region as it retaliates for a devastating Hamas attack and works to restore and support traumatised communities. In a major escalation on 7 October, Hamas launched a “ surprise attack ” on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central parts of the country. Also Read: Israel announces ‘total siege’ of Gaza: How will people be affected? According to Israeli local media cited by The Times of Israel, the death count in Israel has jumped to 800 Israelis since Saturday’s attack. According to Israeli government, over 2,400 people have been injured as well. “I know you’ve been through tough, terrible things. What Hamas will go through will be tough and terrible — we’re already in the midst of the battle and we’ve only just begun,” Times of Israel quoted Netanyahu as saying citing the PM Office. He further praised the soldiers for their steadfastness and says the coming fight would take time. “The nation will turn over every stone to help you all. I ask that you stand strong because we are going to change the Middle East,” he said. Earlier in the day, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said he has ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip. He made the statement after an assessment at the IDF Southern Command in Beersheba. Also Read: Israel-Palestine conflict: Where does India stand? Which countries back Hamas? “I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” Gallant said. “We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly,” he added. The IDF said that it is carrying out a fresh wave of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The IDF said it is hitting targets that belong to Hamas terror group. According to the military, further details will be provided soon, according to The Times of Israel report. With inputs from ANI