Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reportedly warned of an imminent large-scale operation by Hamas roughly ten days before the October 7, 2023 attacks, according to a recent book based on diplomatic sources. The warning, conveyed during a lengthy phone call from the United Arab Emirates’ President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, allegedly outlined plans by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to launch an attack that could destabilize the region.
The conversation, described as “unusual” given its direct nature, took place from the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi and lasted approximately 45 minutes. During the call, bin Zayed reportedly expressed concerns that the planned Hamas operation would cause significant bloodshed and threaten broader regional stability. The account is drawn from "Kidnapped: 843 Days of Abandonment," authored by journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, who based their findings on interviews with diplomatic sources, recordings, internal documents, and consultation with aides close to bin Zayed.
According to the book, Sinwar had confided to a former Palestinian official that Hamas militants were preparing a “terrifying operation,” which the official characterized as an "earthquake." This information was passed from the official to an Emirati adviser and then to bin Zayed, prompting the president’s call to Netanyahu. The adviser, a Palestinian originally from Gaza now residing in Abu Dhabi, reportedly described Netanyahu’s response to the warning as “relative calm” and said the prime minister did not relay the information to Israeli security agencies.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office has directly denied the claims, labeling the report an “absolute lie” and stating that no such call between Netanyahu and bin Zayed occurred and that no warning was received from the UAE president. The conflicting narratives highlight ongoing disputes over intelligence sharing and preparedness in the lead-up to the deadly attacks that resulted in significant Israeli casualties and a subsequent military response in Gaza.
Yahya Sinwar, who was identified in the report as the architect of the assault plan, was later killed by Israeli forces during operations in Gaza. The nature of the alleged warning and Israel’s purported response remain part of a broader discussion about regional intelligence cooperation and the failure to prevent the October 7 attacks despite available information.