Egyptian intelligence warned Israel about a looming threat from Hamas, but Israeli officials appeared indifferent, focusing instead on other conflicts. Despite credible intelligence and evidence of attack preparations, Israeli surveillance failed to detect the organized threat, raising concerns about complacency and the overall effectiveness of their security measures.
Ten days prior to the Hamas attack on October 7, an Egyptian intelligence official alerted me about a significant threat from Gaza. He indicated that Egypt had informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office of the impending danger, stating that they conveyed to him the likelihood of a catastrophic event occurring shortly. However, the Israeli response was unsettling, as it seemed they were more preoccupied with the situation in the West Bank than with the urgent warning from Egypt.
While the Egyptian official did not specify whether the warning reached Prime Minister Netanyahu directly, it was reiterated by other credible sources. U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul reported being informed by an Egyptian intelligence representative about Hamas’s preparations for a huge attack against Israel. The lack of response from Israeli intelligence raises questions about their efficacy in recognizing dire warnings from allied intelligence agencies.
Evidence soon revealed that the attack had been years in the making, with Hamas training militants close to the border with Israel to avoid detection. Despite the reliable intelligence from Egypt, Israeli surveillance failed to capture the looming threat. This oversight is particularly alarming given the long history of collaboration between Israeli and Egyptian intelligence services.
Upon sharing the warning in my publication, a senior official from Israel’s State Comptroller’s Office later contacted me, seeking details for an inquiry regarding the intelligence received from Egypt. Nevertheless, recent military investigations did not address the specific warning from Egypt, leaving its acknowledgment in the public domain ambiguous and raising valid concerns regarding complacency within Israeli security.
This oversight begs critical questions: Why did Israel disregard the warning from Egypt? What factors contributed to the apparent indifference among Israeli officials regarding the seriousness of the threat? As tensions escalate in the region, with a summit of Arab nations anticipated, the lack of attention to such warnings could heighten Israel’s vulnerability amidst ongoing regional unrest.
In summary, the ignored warnings from Egyptian intelligence serve as a stark indicator of the dangers posed by complacency within Israel’s security apparatus. The lack of response to credible threats, coupled with increasing regional tensions, signifies a precarious situation. As Israel grapples with these realities, the critical question remains: how will they adapt to prevent future miscalculations in an increasingly volatile environment?
Original Source: www.ynetnews.com
