Full Breakdown
Former Fatah Official Says He Relayed Hamas Warning to Israel Before the Oct. 7, 2023 Attack
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Sufian Abu Zaida, a former senior Fatah official, posted a Facebook video identifying himself as “Coal Eyes,” the intermediary who conveyed a September 2023 warning from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to Israeli security officials. Sinwar used the Arabic term “zilzal” (“earthquake”) and warned of a “huge surprise” if negotiations stalled. Abu Zaida says the message was passed to a close associate who advises UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, who then called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to alert him.
Background & Context
Negotiations before the Oct. 7, 2023 assault focused on the release of four Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and easing of the Gaza blockade. Abu Zaida, who maintains contacts with Israeli journalists, says he acted as the conduit for Sinwar’s threat. The warning reportedly reached Shin Bet head Ronen Bar in mid-September and was forwarded to Netanyahu’s office, though the prime minister’s office denied any conversation with the UAE president.
Official Statements & Responses
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied receiving a warning from the UAE president and announced plans to sue Haaretz and the journalists who reported the allegation.
- The Prime Minister’s Office said a review of call records found no evidence of a conversation between Netanyahu and President bin Zayed from early September through Oct. 7, 2023.
- The United Arab Emirates issued a brief statement through CNN saying it does not comment on media reports or speculation about conversations between government leaders.
- Abu Zaida’s video reiterates his role as the source of the warning and notes that he will provide further details “in the coming days.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Presence of the warning: Abu Zaida and journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval claim the warning was transmitted to both Shin Bet and the UAE president, while Netanyahu’s office asserts no such call took place.
- UAE confirmation: The UAE has not publicly confirmed any discussion with Netanyahu, leaving the alleged call unverified.
- Documentation: Eldar and Yuval say they possess recordings and documents supporting their account, but these materials have not been independently released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “People in the security establishment said — in the Shin Bet and the IDF — that if we had known about this conversation, it would have given us another assessment of the information that had already arrived on Sept. 15,” — Shlomi Eldar, Haaretz journalist
Why It Matters
The dispute over whether a high-level warning was delivered before the Oct. 7 attack touches on accountability for intelligence failures, the role of third-party states in conflict mediation, and potential legal ramifications of alleged defamation.
What’s Next
Netanyahu’s announced defamation lawsuit against Haaretz and the journalists signals an upcoming legal confrontation. Both Israeli and Emirati officials have indicated they will continue to review communications records, though no further public disclosures have been scheduled.