Key Point: The New York Times reports that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed warned Benjamin Netanyahu in late September that Hamas was plotting a "major attack," but the warning allegedly was not passed to Israel's security chiefs. Minutes of an Oct. 1 meeting show the warning was not mentioned. Netanyahu denies failing to act and said he was concerned about jeopardizing a possible Saudi normalization deal. The Oct. 7 assault killed around 1,200 civilians and led to a devastating Israeli military response in Gaza.
NYT: Netanyahu Warned By UAE Days Before Oct. 7 Attack, Allegedly Didn’t Tell Security Chiefs
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a ceremony commemorating Israel's Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers, or Yom HaZikaron, at the Military Cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Tuesday April 21, 2026. (Ilia Yefimovich/Pool Photo via AP)
The New York Times reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned in late September by United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed that Hamas was planning a "major attack," but that the warning was not relayed to Israel's security leadership, according to multiple sources.
What The Reporting Says
The Times says two sources corroborated an earlier report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the UAE president issued a warning in late September. Five former senior Israeli officials told The Times that the Emirati warning never reached the leaders of Israel's security establishment.
'The warning from the Emirati leader, however, never reached the leaders of Israel's security establishment,' the five former senior officials told The Times.
Minutes of a meeting Mr. Netanyahu convened with his security chiefs on Oct. 1, 2023, reviewed by The Times, show that the warning was not mentioned at that meeting.
Netanyahu's Response And Context
Mr. Netanyahu, who has denied the allegation that he failed to act on the information, is campaigning for a seventh term as prime minister. The Times also reports that he had expressed reluctance to take military action in Gaza before Oct. 7 in part because he believed such moves could jeopardize a possible normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Oct. 7 Attack And Aftermath
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas carried out a surprise assault across parts of southern Israel. The attacks killed roughly 1,200 Israeli civilians, including women and children, and resulted in more than 200 people being taken hostage. The assault prompted a forceful Israeli military campaign in Gaza, with repeated strikes that have left large parts of the territory devastated and produced intense international debate and criticism over civilian harm.
This account draws on reporting by The New York Times and the earlier Haaretz report. The allegations about the pre-attack warning remain disputed and have been publicly denied by Mr. Netanyahu.
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