Reports Say UAE Leader Warned Netanyahu of Hamas Attack Before Oct. 7

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned by United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed shortly before Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack, according to reports by Haaretz and The New York Times. Netanyahu’s office has rejected the allegation as an “absolute lie,” saying the two leaders did not speak during the period in question and that Netanyahu received no such warning.

Haaretz reported that bin Zayed called Netanyahu about a week and a half before the attack and warned that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a major operation against Israel. According to the report, Netanyahu responded that he believed Hamas was preparing to act in the West Bank and said Israel was ready for any scenario. Reports by Ynetnews and The Jerusalem Post said the warning was not passed to Israeli security leaders.

The New York Times separately reported, citing two sources including a person who spoke directly with bin Zayed, that the Emirati leader warned Netanyahu of a “major attack” by Hamas.

Haaretz also reported that Netanyahu met bin Zayed secretly at an airport on Sunday and asked him to deny the warning report. The account was attributed to people familiar with or briefed on the meeting. The UAE Foreign Ministry declined to address the reported meeting, saying only that it maintains direct communication with Israel and shares relevant intelligence. Netanyahu’s office did not immediately comment on the latest allegation.