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Netanyahu ‘Was Warned Ahead of October 7 but Failed to Act’
United Kingdom🏛️ PoliticsProgressiveOverlooked by conservatives9/8/2026

Netanyahu ‘Was Warned Ahead of October 7 but Failed to Act’

An Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, alleges that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was directly warned by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed about an impending Hamas attack ahead of October 7, 2023, but failed to inform security officials. The report claims that during a phone call, bin Zayed explicitly stated that Hamas was 'preparing for a major event,' though Netanyahu's office denies the claim. Additionally, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar reportedly warned Israel through an intermediary, and this information was allegedly passed to Israeli intelligence services. However, former intelligence chiefs say they were not informed of the warning. Netanyahu's office dismissed the allegations as an 'absolute lie.' The report also notes that Egypt had previously warned Israel of a potential catastrophe, and Hamas later offered to release hostages, which Israel rejected.

Benjamin Netanyahu was directly warned by the UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, days before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, according to an investigative report by Haaretz. The report claims that bin Zayed informed Netanyahu that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing a major operation against Israel. However, Netanyahu allegedly did not share this information with Israeli security or military officials. The warning came during a 45-minute phone call in late September 2023, as detailed in an upcoming book by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. A Gaza-born adviser to bin Zayed, who was present during the call, described the conversation. According to the report, bin Zayed conveyed that Sinwar was preparing a large-scale operation and urged Israel to prepare accordingly. He also suggested pursuing an economic solution for the Gaza Strip and calming tensions in the West Bank to avoid further escalation. Despite these warnings, Netanyahu reportedly assured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario and believed Hamas would target the West Bank. Netanyahu’s office has categorically denied the allegations, calling them an “absolute lie.” It stated that there was no call with bin Zayed around that time and that Netanyahu did not receive any warning. The UAE presidency did not respond to requests for comment. The report also notes that Egyptian officials had previously warned Netanyahu of a potential Hamas attack, with former Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel reportedly informing him of “something unusual, a terrifying operation.” Hamas reportedly issued multiple offers to release civilian captives after the attacks, including the unconditional release of all hostages or at least those under 18 or over 50. These offers were reportedly rejected by Israeli officials. The report suggests that Hamas used these offers as part of broader diplomatic efforts, possibly to pressure Israel into negotiating or gauge the readiness of the Israel Defense Forces. Secret indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in early 2023 focused on easing the Gaza blockade, increasing economic opportunities, and exchanging four Israelis held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners. These discussions stalled in August 2023 after Netanyahu postponed a committee meeting to approve prisoner releases. Sinwar reportedly instructed a Palestinian mediator to convey a message to Israel that if no progress was made, Hamas would launch a “zilzal”, a term meaning “earthquake,” implying a major attack. The report includes statements from former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and former IDF chief of staff Herzl Halevi, who claimed they were not informed of the UAE warning. An anonymous intelligence official cited by Haaretz speculated that Sinwar’s warning might have been intended to pressure Israel into reaching a deal or to test the readiness of the Israeli military. The findings have sparked renewed scrutiny of Netanyahu’s leadership and decision-making processes leading up to the October 7 attacks. The report adds to ongoing debates about whether Israel could have taken preventive measures to mitigate the scale of the violence. As the situation continues to evolve, the implications of these revelations remain under intense public and political examination.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 2 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

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2 reports

Middle East Eye logoMiddle East EyeIndependentProgressiveFactual 90Objective 759/8/2026
UAE president 'personally told Netanyahu' of Hamas plans for major 'event' ahead of 7 October

An investigation for a forthcoming book claims that the UAE's President Mohammed bin Zayed warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu days before the 7 October attacks that Hamas was planning a major operation. The warning occurred during a 45-minute phone call in late September 2023. According to a Gaza-born adviser to the UAE ruler, Bin Zayed informed Netanyahu that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing for a significant event and suggested Israel prepare accordingly. Netanyahu allegedly dismissed the warning and did not brief his security or military leaders. The claim is based on interviews with three senior foreign sources and contradicts Netanyahu's denial of receiving such a warning. The report also notes that Egyptian intelligence had previously warned Netanyahu of a potential Hamas attack.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the UAE's warning as credible and highlights Netanyahu's dismissal of it, which could be seen as downplaying the seriousness of the intelligence. It emphasizes the failure of Israeli leadership to act on the warning, suggesting a critique of Netanyahu's handling of security issues

Why factuality (90): The article presents a claim that the UAE president personally warned Netanyahu about Hamas plans, based on an investigation for a new book. However, this claim is not corroborated by the primary source document, which mentions warnings from Egypt, not the UAE. The article introduces a new element (

Why objectivity (75): The tone suggests a narrative that Netanyahu ignored critical warnings, implying possible bias against him. While not overtly partisan, the framing leans toward questioning Netanyahu's leadership, which affects objectivity.

Novara Media logoNovara MediaIndependentProgressiveFactual 85Objective 709/8/2026
Netanyahu ‘Was Warned Ahead of October 7 but Failed to Act’

An Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, alleges that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was directly warned by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed about an impending Hamas attack ahead of October 7, 2023, but failed to inform security officials. The report claims that during a phone call, bin Zayed explicitly stated that Hamas was 'preparing for a major event,' though Netanyahu's office denies the claim. Additionally, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar reportedly warned Israel through an intermediary, and this information was allegedly passed to Israeli intelligence services. However, former intelligence chiefs say they were not informed of the warning. Netanyahu's office dismissed the allegations as an 'absolute lie.' The report also notes that Egypt had previously warned Israel of a potential catastrophe, and Hamas later offered to release hostages, which Israel rejected.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the situation as a failure of Netanyahu's leadership, emphasizing the lack of action despite warnings. It highlights the discrepancy between the alleged warnings and the government's response, suggesting negligence. The focus on Netanyahu's denial and the implications of his inact

Why factuality (85): This article aligns with the primary source in mentioning the UAE warning, though it adds details not present in the original reporting. It references an investigation and quotes unnamed sources, which is common in investigative journalism but less aligned with the more concrete claims from the prim

Why objectivity (70): The article frames Netanyahu as having received a warning but failing to act, suggesting a critique of his leadership. This implies a potential bias, even if not explicitly political, affecting overall objectivity.

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