According to a report by journalists Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13/Army Radio), the Shin Bet passed an Egyptian intelligence warning to Prime Minister Netanyahu weeks before the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, stating that the terror group intended to 'shake the earth.' The report says Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar assessed the warning referred to Israeli hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov, held in Iraq, and a potential prisoner swap, rather than a large-scale invasion. The report also claims senior security officials were not informed by Netanyahu about a reportedly pivotal phone call with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed that took place days before the attack.
A new investigative report by Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13/Army Radio) sheds light on the intelligence and decision-making failures in the weeks and days preceding the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. According to the report, the Shin Bet received a general warning from Egyptian intelligence in early September 2023 stating that Hamas intended to 'shake the earth.' The Shin Bet conveyed the warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and all security branches. However, due to its vague nature, the assessment was that it referred to hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov and efforts by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to leverage her for a prisoner swap. A senior security official quoted in the report said the assessment was that Sinwar was frustrated by stalled talks and seeking to revive them — not planning a large-scale invasion. The report also reveals that security chiefs were not updated by Netanyahu about a phone call with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) that reportedly took place days before the attack. A senior official involved in the Oct. 7 night assessments told the journalists that had the PM shared the content of that call, it could have fundamentally changed their interpretation of the early warning signs. 'We would have connected the puzzle pieces when the first sparks lit up in Gaza on Friday evening,' the official said.
The Zioneer has previously reported on related aspects, including the PM's claims about being left out of early assessments, the UAE's silence on the reported MBZ call, and the broader security establishment's warnings about Gaza instability. These earlier reports, published by The Zioneer Intelligence Desk in June and September, form the background against which the new details emerge. The new report is based on conversations with multiple senior security officials and on documentation reviewed by the journalists. It does not provide independent confirmation of the MBZ call or its content.
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