JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing renewed political pressure after a bombshell report alleged that he received a warning from the United Arab Emirates about a major Hamas operation days before the October 7, 2023, attack.
The allegation, first reported by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, has triggered fierce denials from Netanyahu’s office and fresh calls from opposition leaders for him to step down.
The report alleged that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke with Netanyahu about 10 days before the attack and warned that Hamas was preparing a major operation. According to the report, the warning involved Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and concerns that a large-scale assault could destabilize the region and threaten the Abraham Accords.
Netanyahu’s office has strongly denied the allegation, calling the report false and insisting that no warning was personally delivered to the prime minister by the UAE before October 7.
The Warning That Could Reshape Israel’s Political Debate
According to the Haaretz account, the alleged warning reached Netanyahu through a direct conversation with the Emirati president.
The report said a former Palestinian official had received information suggesting that Hamas was preparing what was described as a major and potentially devastating operation. The information was allegedly passed to an Emirati adviser and eventually reached Mohamed bin Zayed.
The UAE leader was then reported to have contacted Netanyahu.
The allegation is particularly explosive because it suggests Netanyahu may have received a warning outside Israel’s traditional intelligence channels before one of the deadliest attacks in the country’s history.
However, the claim remains disputed. Netanyahu’s office has categorically denied that such a warning was given, while the UAE has declined to publicly confirm details of alleged conversations between government leaders.
Netanyahu’s Office Calls Report an ‘Absolute Lie’
Netanyahu’s office rejected the report outright.
Officials said the prime minister did not receive a warning from the UAE before the October 7 attack and disputed the allegation that he had been personally alerted by Mohamed bin Zayed.
The denial has turned the controversy into a direct clash between Netanyahu’s government and the journalists behind the report.
Netanyahu has also reportedly moved toward legal action against Haaretz and individuals connected to the allegations, further escalating the dispute.
Opposition Leaders Turn Up the Pressure
The report immediately gave Netanyahu’s political rivals a powerful new line of attack.
Former military chief and opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of ignoring warnings and failing to take responsibility for the security failures surrounding October 7.
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett also intensified his criticism, arguing that Netanyahu bears personal responsibility for the events leading to the attack.
The controversy comes at a sensitive moment in Israeli politics, with national elections scheduled for October 27, 2026. Netanyahu’s handling of the October 7 attack and the wider Gaza war is expected to remain one of the defining issues of the campaign.
October 7 Remains Israel’s Deepest Security Trauma
The Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 251 people being taken hostage, according to Israeli and international reporting.
The attack triggered Israel’s massive military campaign in Gaza, a conflict that has devastated the territory and produced an enormous humanitarian toll.
The Gaza Health Ministry has reported more than 73,000 Palestinian deaths. The UN has cited the ministry’s figures in its humanitarian reporting, while the numbers remain central to the ongoing debate over the scale and consequences of the war.
Why the Allegation Is So Explosive
Israel has spent years examining what went wrong before October 7.
Questions have focused on intelligence failures, military preparedness and political decision-making.
The latest allegation adds another possibility to that debate: whether Netanyahu himself received information about a potential Hamas operation before the attack and, if so, what happened next.
For now, there is no agreement on the facts.
Haaretz stands behind its reporting.
Netanyahu’s office denies the allegation.
The UAE has not publicly confirmed the reported conversation.
That means the controversy is likely to continue — especially as Israel heads toward a highly consequential election.
The Bottom Line
A report claiming Benjamin Netanyahu received a warning from the UAE before Hamas’ October 7 attack has sparked a major political storm in Israel.
The allegation has not been independently confirmed, and Netanyahu’s office has forcefully denied that he received any such warning.
But the report has given Netanyahu’s opponents fresh ammunition as they question his handling of the security failures surrounding October 7.
Three years after the attack that changed Israel forever, the battle over who knew what — and when — is becoming one of the biggest political fights in the country.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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