Israeli opposition leaders have criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the publication of a report alleging that he received advance warning of a planned Hamas attack shortly before 7 October 2023 but did not pass the information on to security officials.
The allegations were published by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which reported that the claims are based on an upcoming book. Netanyahu's office has rejected the report, describing it as an "absolute lie" and denying that any such communication took place.
Allegations outlined in Haaretz report
According to the report, United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan contacted Netanyahu during the final week of September 2023 to warn that Hamas was preparing a major operation.
Haaretz reported that the Israeli prime minister did not relay the alleged warning to the heads of Israel's security services.
The report further claimed that the information originated from comments attributed to former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was later killed by Israel.
Netanyahu's office rejects claims
Netanyahu's office issued a statement dismissing the allegations.
According to the report, the prime minister's office denied both the substance of the claims and the assertion that any communication took place between Netanyahu and the UAE president during the period in question.
Opposition criticism intensifies
The publication prompted strong reactions from opposition figures ahead of Israel's parliamentary elections scheduled for 27 October.
Former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot said Netanyahu had received numerous warnings before the events of 7 October and failed to act on them.
In a post on X, Eisenkot accused the prime minister of ignoring repeated alerts and said he was unfit to govern.
עוד ועוד סימנים מעידים: נתניהו הוביל את ישראל בעיוורון למחדל השבעה באוקטובר.
— Gadi Eisenkot - גדי איזנקוט (@gadi_eisenkot) September 8, 2026
לפי הפרסום הבוקר, הוא קיבל התרעה מפורשת, ימים לפני הטבח, מנשיא איחוד האמירויות לגבי כוונות סינוואר, אבל לא עדכן את ראשי מערכת הביטחון. מי לא העיר את מי?
סביבתו מהדהדת את תיאוריית הקונספירציה והבגידה… pic.twitter.com/H9UtJFWmzq
Bennett calls for accountability
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also criticised Netanyahu following publication of the report.
Bennett said the Israeli prime minister bears "personal and direct responsibility" and argued that he should no longer remain in office.
The criticism comes amid ongoing political debate in Israel over responsibility for the failures that preceded the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.
Background to the allegations
According to the Haaretz report, Sinwar allegedly told a Fatah intermediary that Hamas was preparing a "terrifying operation" that would cause a "seismic shock".
The report said the information was subsequently passed through intermediaries before reportedly reaching the UAE president, who then allegedly conveyed it to Netanyahu.
October 2023 attacks and aftermath
During the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, 1,221 people were killed, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
The subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza has resulted in 73,658 deaths, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. The United Nations has cited the ministry's casualty figures as a widely used source for reporting on the conflict.
