The Israeli prime minister visited Abu Dhabi after reports that Mohamed bin Zayed had warned him of a major Hamas operation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to the UAE on Sunday to ask President Mohamed bin Zayed to deny that he had warned Israel of a major Hamas operation ahead of the deadly October 7 attack, according to the Associated Press.

AP reported on Monday that Netanyahu had traveled to Abu Dhabi to seek a denial of the warning claim, citing a person said to have firsthand information about the meeting. A second regional official briefed on the meeting also spoke to the agency.

The UAE and Netanyahu’s office have since confirmed the visit. Emirati state news agency WAM said the leaders discussed bilateral relations, while Netanyahu’s office said the talks focused on strengthening ties and regional challenges. Netanyahu’s office has denied that the visit was intended to obtain a denial from bin Zayed.

Haaretz reported earlier this month that bin Zayed called Netanyahu about ten days before the October 7 assault and warned that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning a major operation. The Emirati leader reportedly warned that it could lead to bloodshed and destabilize the region.

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Netanyahu reportedly played down the threat, saying Israel was prepared and that an attack was more likely to come from the occupied West Bank. His office has rejected the Haaretz report as an “absolute lie,” insisting no such conversation took place.

The UAE has neither confirmed nor denied the alleged warning. Its Foreign Ministry has said it does not comment on reports concerning conversations between government leaders, while noting that Abu Dhabi and Israel maintain “open and direct lines of communication” and share relevant intelligence when necessary.

Netanyahu has faced growing scrutiny over reports that Israel received other warnings in the run-up to the Hamas-led incursion, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, triggering the Gaza war.

The Atlantic reported that then-Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel traveled to Israel less than two weeks before the attack and warned senior officials that Hamas appeared to be mobilizing for a major operation. The outlet said it remains unclear whether the warning was relayed to Netanyahu.

The Wall Street Journal separately reported that Cairo issued multiple warnings ahead of the assault, including one to Netanyahu shortly before October 7. The Israeli prime minister has denied receiving advance warning from Egypt.

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Israeli intelligence had also obtained a Hamas battle plan known as ‘Jericho Wall’ more than a year before the attack. The New York Times reported that the document outlined a cross-border assault involving attacks on Israeli military positions and communities, closely resembling the operation eventually carried out on October 7. Israeli military and intelligence officials reportedly dismissed the plan as too ambitious for Hamas to execute.

Former IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz has accused Netanyahu of concealing information about warnings ahead of the attack and said the failure was “total, broad, and included everyone.” He argued that the prime minister ultimately bore responsibility.

Earlier this month, families of Israelis killed or abducted in the attack unveiled a 12-page dossier arguing that the massacre was not merely the result of intelligence and operational failures, but the culmination of a years-long policy that allowed Hamas to strengthen.

The controversy comes ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27. Netanyahu has described the reports about the alleged UAE warning as politically motivated and linked them to the election campaign.