UAE president 'personally told Netanyahu' of Hamas plans for major 'event' ahead of 7 October

Israeli prime minister brushed off warnings from Mohammed bin Zayed, an investigation for a new book reveals Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meets with then US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office at the White House on 23 September 2024 in Washington, DC (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/AFP) Published date: 8 September 2026 10:15 BST | Last update: 5 sec ago The president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) warned Israel’s prime minister days before the 7 October attacks that Hamas was planning a major operation, an investigation for a forthcoming book has found. Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the warning from Mohammed bin Zayed and did not inform Israel’s security or military leaders, according to the investigation, published by Haaretz on Tuesday. The warning was made during a 45-minute phone call in late September 2023. “The emir explained that, in his assessment, [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar was preparing for a major event,” a Gaza-born adviser to the UAE ruler said. “[Bin Zayed] told Netanyahu that Israel should be ready. Concurrently, he recommended trying to find an economic solution for the Strip and calming the West Bank to prevent escalation.” New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Sinwar is believed to have told the adviser, a Fatah intermediary known to Israeli intelligence as "black eyes", that Israel should expect an "earthquake". Middle East Eye sources identified "black eyes" as Sufyan Abu Zayda, a prominent Palestinian leader from the Fatah movement, born in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza, and a member of Fatah's Revolutionary Council. He served as Minister of Prisoners and Released Detainees Affairs in the Palestinian Authority government from February 2005 until the formation of the Hamas government. Netanyahu reportedly reassured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario. He said he believed Hamas intended to operate in the West Bank. The revelation is contained in an upcoming book titled Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment, by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval. The details of the phone call are based on three senior foreign sources familiar with its contents. It has previously been reported by Israeli and international media that Egyptian intelligence also warned Netanyahu of a planned Hamas attack days before it took place. Then-Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel reportedly warned Netanyahu of “something unusual, a terrifying operation”, according to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth. Netanyahu reportedly replied: “In Gaza, we are in the picture, we are in control. Our problem is with the West Bank, and that’s where we are also diverting forces.” The Israeli leader has denied that the phone call with the UAE president took place and that he received such a warning. Offer to release civilians rejected According to the investigation, Hamas offered to release all civilian captives in the immediate aftermath of the 7 October attack without demanding anything in return. Israeli officials reportedly rejected the offer. Netanyahu brushed off concerns over Hamas ahead of Gaza war, report says Read More » The investigation also revealed secret indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in early 2023. The talks focused on gradually lifting the blockade on Gaza, expanding economic opportunities in the strip and exchanging four Israelis held in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, including the remains of two soldiers, for Palestinian prisoners. The talks stalled in August 2023 after Netanyahu postponed a committee meeting to approve the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israelis held in Gaza. Sinwar, then Hamas’s leader in Gaza, reportedly told a Palestinian mediator to inform the Israelis to “expect a ‘zilzal’, an earthquake” if no progress was made. At a follow-up meeting, Sinwar reportedly told the mediator: “Convey a message to them that I am preparing the mother of all surprises. A terrifying operation. Something extraordinary.” Sinwar’s threats were conveyed to both Israeli officials and the UAE president, and were partly behind his warning to Netanyahu. Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.