Allegations Surface That Netanyahu Ignored Warnings Before Hamas Attack in 'Fateful 45-Minute Call' With UAE President

Allegations have emerged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignored warnings regarding Hamas's surprise attack before it occurred in 2023.

Citing a new book titled "Kidnapped: 843 Days of Abandonment" by local journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu was aware of and tacitly allowed the surprise attack by Hamas before it happened.

According to the report, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warned Netanyahu during a 45-minute phone call in late September 2023 that Yahya Sinwar, then the Hamas leader, was preparing a major bloodshed that would shake the region.

However, Netanyahu reportedly brushed off the warning, saying, "Israel is in control of the situation in the Gaza Strip and is prepared for all scenarios."

According to the report, this crucial intelligence originated directly from Sinwar.

The information was passed through a UAE presidential adviser to Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency, in mid-September.

Shin Bet reportedly failed to accurately interpret this as a threat of an all-out war originating from the Gaza Strip, prompting the UAE President, concerned over Israel's lukewarm response, to call Netanyahu directly.

However, Netanyahu reportedly did not share the contents of the call with Israel's security leadership, including Shin Bet.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office completely denied the report as entirely false, stating that Netanyahu never spoke with the UAE President or received such a warning at the time.

During the surprise Hamas attack in 2023, 1,221 people were killed on the Israeli side, and 251 hostages were dragged into the Gaza Strip, some of whom ultimately died.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video Editing by Kim Hye-ju | Design by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.