Netanyahu warned before October 7 attack, new Israeli reporting says
New reporting in Israel says Netanyahu got a direct warning that Hamas was planning a major attack and sat on it — devastating for his political survival and for families of the victims.
- Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar sent word through a go-between that he was preparing an "earthquake" if a long-negotiated truce deal was not signed.
- The message reached the UAE's ruler, who called Netanyahu personally about ten days before October 7; Netanyahu reportedly did not pass it to Israel's security chiefs and said he was more worried about the West Bank.
- The same warning went to then-CIA director William Burns, and Israel already had a captured copy of the Hamas attack plan.
- After the attack, Hamas offered through Qatar to hand back civilian hostages for nothing, and Israel refused, with the message back being that Netanyahu only wanted war.
- The UAE has broadly confirmed the account; Netanyahu denies it, and Israeli officials blame shock and confusion in the first days.
Outlook: The claims land as Israel heads toward elections and faces European trade bans over the West Bank, turning Netanyahu's handling of October 7 into his biggest political liability.