Israeli officials say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received or was aware of a warning allegedly issued by the United Arab Emirates’ leader about a potential Hamas attack before Oct. 7, 2023, but that the warning did not reach Israel’s security establishment, according to a New York Times report. The officials add that the message reportedly lacked specific details about the nature of an attack.
The Jerusalem Post reports that Netanyahu did not discuss the alleged UAE warning at a Gaza security meeting held the week of the Oct. 7 attack, citing a separate report. The accounts appear in the context of public denials from Netanyahu, and from UAE and U.S. officials, regarding allegations—raised by Haaretz—that the UAE leader, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ), warned Netanyahu of a major Hamas operation in the days before Oct. 7.
Taken together, the outlets describe disagreements and gaps in how information is handled and communicated, including whether the alleged warning was shared with security chiefs and whether it was raised in specific consultations leading up to the attack.
