Egypt warned Israel of possible violence prior to the Hamas raid

Egypt provided a warning to Israel about the potential for violence three days before Hamas carried out a deadly cross-border raid, according to Michael McCaul, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. McCaul made this claim after a closed-door intelligence briefing on the Middle East crisis. He asserted that Israel was alerted by Egypt ahead of the attack, although he did not provide details regarding the level of the warning.

Egypt, through an intelligence official who wished to remain anonymous, stated that they had repeatedly warned the Israelis of an impending “big” event from Gaza. According to the official, Israel had downplayed the Gaza threat, focusing more on the West Bank.

In response to these claims, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently denied that Israel had received any specific advance warning regarding the incursion.

Over 1,500 militants carried out a coordinated attack through the Gaza security barrier, leading to one of the deadliest attacks by Palestinian militants in Israel’s history. As a result, the death toll in Israel from the Hamas attacks has risen to 1,200, while over 1,000 people in Gaza have lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes. In retaliation, Israel has conducted airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza.

The situation remains complex, with both sides engaged in military operations and Egypt often acting as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. In the aftermath of the Hamas attack, the United States announced its intention to move an aircraft carrier, ships, and jets to the eastern Mediterranean, along with providing additional equipment and ammunition to Israel.

These events are part of a larger ongoing crisis in the Middle East, as tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Hamas, resulting in significant loss of life and destruction on both sides.