Netanyahu acknowledges former Egyptian intelligence chief visited Israel before 7 October attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on Tuesday that former Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel visited Israel 11 days before the 7th October 2023 attack, amid previous reports that Cairo had warned Israel that Hamas was preparing a large-scale assault from the Gaza Strip.

Speaking to HaPatriotim, a programme on Israel’s Channel 14, which is close to Netanyahu, he confirmed that an Egyptian aircraft had landed in Israel before the attack and called for an investigation into whom Kamel had met.

“I want to know who he met, because there are people who want to pin this on me,” Netanyahu said, adding that he was attending a memorial ceremony for Israeli soldiers at the time.

He urged security and law enforcement agencies to examine surveillance footage and other records to establish whom Kamel had met during his visit, which Netanyahu said lasted about 59 minutes.

“I want to know the truth,” he said, blaming what he described as the “deep state”.

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