The Atlantic: Egypt's intelligence chief had warned Israel of Hamas attack

What Happened

The Atlantic reported that Egypt's then intelligence chief Abbas Kamel delivered a blunt warning to senior Israeli officials at Ben Gurion Airport days before the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack, saying: "If you don't change course, Gaza is going to blow up in your faces." The report states Kamel did not provide a date or specific information about the attack, and it is unclear whom he met; an Israeli airport authority flight log showed his plane remained on the ground for 67 minutes before returning to Cairo. The Atlantic's reporting follows earlier attributed claims: an Egyptian intelligence official told the Associated Press that Israel ignored repeated warnings that Hamas was planning "something big," and Ynet reported that Kamel personally warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 10 days before the attack. Separately, Haaretz reported that the president of the UAE warned Netanyahu weeks before the attacks that Hamas was planning a major operation, but Netanyahu dismissed the warning and did not inform Israeli security or military leaders; that warning was reportedly made during a 45-minute phone call, with a Gaza-born adviser to the UAE ruler quoted as saying the emir assessed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing for a major event.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The reported warnings heighten scrutiny of Israeli intelligence and political leadership failures before the 7 October attack, and of the credibility of regional mediation channels involving Egypt and the UAE. If corroborated, they could fuel demands for accountability within Israel and affect how Cairo and Abu Dhabi position themselves in ceasefire negotiations and postwar Gaza governance.

Watch For

Monitor whether the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Egyptian General Intelligence Service, or UAE government respond to The Atlantic and Haaretz reports; whether Israeli authorities release further flight logs or communications; and whether these claims are taken up by any Israeli state inquiry or Knesset committee examining 7 October intelligence failures.