Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a direct warning from the president of the United Arab Emirates about an imminent major offensive planned by Hamas just before the militant group carried out an attack on October 7, 2023, as per a report in an Israeli newspaper. U.A.E. President Mohammed bin Zayed had a conversation with Netanyahu 10 days prior to the attack, informing him that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza at the time, was orchestrating an operation that could result in bloodshed, destabilize the region, and jeopardize the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between Israel and various Arab and Muslim-majority nations.
Despite the warning, Netanyahu reportedly remained composed and assured bin Zayed that Israel was ready for any potential scenario, suggesting that a potential attack was more likely to originate from the occupied West Bank. The attack led by Hamas on October 7 resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals and the taking of 251 hostages, as confirmed by Israeli authorities.
While Haaretz claimed that Netanyahu’s office dismissed the report as a “complete falsehood,” stating that Netanyahu did not engage in any communication with the U.A.E. president during that period and did not receive any alerts from him. Subsequently, the prime minister’s office refuted the allegations as “false,” asserting that any pertinent information would have been exchanged via intelligence channels between the two nations.
Amidst the unfolding events, Netanyahu’s handling of the situation surrounding the October 7 attack has become a focal point in the upcoming national elections in Israel. Gadi Eisenkot, a former senior general and a prominent adversary of Netanyahu in the election, criticized the prime minister for disregarding multiple warnings leading up to the attack, labeling him as “unfit” on social media. Another political rival of Netanyahu, Naftali Bennett, held Netanyahu directly accountable for the lapses that resulted in the loss of numerous Israeli lives during his tenure.
The offensive launched by Israel in Gaza has reportedly led to the deaths of over 73,650 Palestinians according to Gaza’s Health Ministry data. The U.A.E.’s Foreign Ministry and Netanyahu’s office refrained from immediate comments on the matter.
Israel-Gaza conflict, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas attack, U.A.E. President Mohammed bin Zayed, Abraham Accords, Israeli elections, Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Gaza casualties.