EGYPT WARNED ISRAEL THREE DAYS BEFORE HAMAS ATTACK: US LAWMAKER

Wed 11 October 2023:

Israel received a warning from Egypt of potential violence three days before the deadly Hamas’s attack, the chairman of the powerful US House Foreign Affairs Committee says.

“We know that Egypt has warned the Israelis three days prior that an event like this could happen,” Michael McCaul told reporters following a closed-door intelligence briefing for lawmakers on the Middle East crisis.

“I don’t want to get too much into classified [details] but a warning was given. I think the question was at what level. We’re not quite sure how we missed it. We’re not quite sure how Israel missed it.”

According to BBC, Israeli intelligence services are under scrutiny for their failure to prevent the deadliest attack by Palestinian militants in Israel’s 75-year history.

Cairo has not commented officially on suggestions it may have offered an early warning. But Egyptian media quoted senior security sources denying such a warning was issued.

An Egyptian intelligence official told the Associated Press news agency this week that Cairo had repeatedly warned the Israelis “something big” was being planned from Gaza.

“We have warned them an explosion of the situation is coming, and very soon, and it would be big. But they underestimated such warnings,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Cairo official said Israeli officials had played down the threat from Gaza, instead focusing on the West Bank.

According to the Financial Times, quoting two unnamed officials familiar with the matter, there was no hard intelligence of a specific attack.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu described any suggestion that Israel had received a specific warning in advance of the deadly incursion as “totally fake news”.

US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said he couldn’t comment on McCaul’s statement. “I can’t speak to specific intelligence matters. Again, there will be a time to look back at this, as we always do, and we will. Right now, we are sharpening the intelligence gathering and cooperation and sharing with Israel.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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