Netanyahu acknowledges Egyptian intelligence arrival before October 7 attack

Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed an Egyptian intelligence visit prior to October 7 while denying he met the official.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that an Egyptian intelligence plane landed in Israel days before the October 7 attacks. In a television interview, he acknowledged the arrival of Abbas Kamel but denied meeting him or receiving his warning directly. The admission contradicts earlier denials and highlights lingering questions surrounding pre-war intelligence warnings.

• The admissionBenjamin Netanyahu stated on television that an Egyptian aircraft touched down in Israel in September 2023.
• The denialThe prime minister maintained he never sat down with Abbas Kamel and remained unaware of who received the Egyptian official.
• The contextEgyptian intelligence reportedly tried to alert Israeli leadership about an impending major operation by Hamas.