Former Palestinian minister to reveal message Sinwar wanted Israel to hear

Former Palestinian Authority minister, Sufian Abu Zaida, has said he acted as a go-between for Israel and Hamas before 7 October 2023, and has promised to disclose the message Yahya Sinwar asked him to pass on. “Over the next few days, I will discuss the nature of the contacts I held over a year and a half between Israel and Hamas, which were aimed at reaching a deal to secure the release of the prisoners held by Hamas,” Abu Zaida said in a video statement on Friday. He was referring to two Israeli civilians who were being held by Hamas for years before the 7 October 2023 invasion, along with the bodies of two IDF soldiers. “I will also discuss the message that… Sinwar asked me to convey to the Israeli side,” Abu Zaida said, adding that he would be revealing the details in an interview with the Egyptian Al-Ghad TV channel in the coming days. Hours later, Israeli journalist Shlomi Eldar identified him as "Coal Eyes", the unnamed Fatah interlocutor in his Haaretz report earlier this month, which created a furore in Israel. The report alleged that Sinwar, frustrated by stalled talks, warned Israel of a "zilzal", Arabic for earthquake. Haaretz report said the warning had reached Emirati president Mohammed bin Zayed, who then phoned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has denies that any such call took place. סופיאן אבו זיידה חושף את עצמו מרצונו שהוא ״עיני פחם״ שהעביר את ההתרעה לשב״כ באמצע חודש ספטמבר, שיחיא סינוואר מתכנן מתקפה גדולה על ישראל. הוא מפרסם את הסרטון הזה בפייסבוק. קישור בתגובה הראשונה pic.twitter.com/4DfNcSXq4b — Shlomi Eldar (@shlomieldar) September 18, 2026