Representative Michael McCaul backed up earlier claims that Egypt tipped officials off to an impending assault
Michael McCaul (center) talks to reporters after a classified briefing about Hamas’ attack on Israel in Washington DC, October 11, 2023 © AFP / Chip Somodevilla
Three days before Hamas’ large-scale assault on Israel, the Egyptian authorities warned their counterparts in Tel Aviv that such an operation was imminent, US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul told reporters on Wednesday.
“We know that Egypt has warned the Israelis three days prior that an event like this could happen,” McCaul said following a closed-door intelligence briefing on Capitol Hill.
“I don’t want to get too much into classified, but a warning was given,” McCaul continued. “I think the question was at what level.”
The Associated Press reported on Monday that Israeli officials ignored repeated warnings from Cairo that Hamas was planning “something big.” Citing a source within Egyptian intelligence, the news agency claimed that the Israeli government felt that an attack was unlikely to come from Gaza, and would probably take place in the West Bank instead.
The AP report did not specify how recently these warnings were allegedly made.
Hamas militants began firing barrages of rockets into Israel from Gaza on Saturday, with fighters then pouring across the border and raiding Jewish settlements near the Palestinian enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by declaring a state of war and launching airstrikes on Gaza.
Israel has since come under rocket fire from Lebanon and Syria, and as of Wednesday, more than 1,200 Israelis are dead and 3,200 injured, according to government figures. At least 1,100 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,300 wounded, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Saturday’s surprise attack has been viewed as a catastrophic failure for Israel’s intelligence services, which were previously believed to have eyes and ears throughout Gaza.
Netanyahu has repeatedly denied that he was notified of Hamas’ plans before the onslaught.
Shortly after McCaul spoke to reporters in Washington, an anonymous Egyptian official told the Times of Israel that Cairo’s agents did warn their Israeli counterparts about a planned Hamas attack, but that this warning may not have made it to Netanyahu’s office.
Hi, Hund
During the year after I was discharged from the US Army, I read Qur’an (English translation) completely through, The Thought of Chairman Mao Tse Tung (a little), the Bible (a little), the Bhagavad Gita (a little), the Tao (completely), and a book called the Kybalion; and did a little Kundalini Yoga. Qur’an resembled a book on military strategy, more than the Bible. In fact, I would classify it with The Thought of Chairman Mao Tse Tung.
After that, I got lost in the forest (literally), called upon God for help, and became a born-again Christian. A few years later, I worked in a lab with a couple of Muslims (Egyptians), and found them friendly (not jihadis). Many years later, I got to know some Jews.
I would put George W. Bush in the “Rhino” camp. From his father, GHW Bush, clear through Obama, I suffered through a Uniparty continuum. Their policies transitioned seamlessly with one another. Trump was a refreshing, surprising break from this, and Biden has been a disaster.
Israel’s Arab enemies behave as wild men, true to what the Bible says about them. They will not endure sound doctrine, in their natural state. and probably need to be trained as one would train a dog. Short of that, in my opinion, they are likely to precipitate a nuclear war.
Shalom shalom.
Hello Michael,
my question was addressed to everyone here in the forum and not just to you. But I think you are probably referring to my comment on the other article. My point was not to insult you. Never ever, because I respect you, Michael.
But the claim that Muslims, Hamas, have nothing to do with violence, or even that Islam rejects violence, that is absurd, isn’t it? I studied Islam years ago because I wanted to understand it. I read the koran, several interpretations, the sira and the hadiths. And from the very beginning I came to the conclusion that Islam is full of hatred and violence.
And George Bush was and is a lying moron. But I’m sure you know that, too. Otherwise you probably weren’t be here. Please keep on.
Interesting comments by Sebastien Gorka, on Steve Bannon’s War Room:
In a nutshell:
1. The first concern of Americans is protecting our southern border.
2. Get a gun.
Hund,
You’re curious about my thoughts? I haven’t been shy about sharing them. What is your particular curiosity?
BTW. What are your thoughts about George W. Bush? He was explaining the motives of the 9/11 attackers, but I don’t agree with what he said. That incicent was similar to what Israel is facing today.
https://youtu.be/liudIJFg8UQ
He’s not the only one claiming that.
And now?
I’m curious about your thoughts, because I don’t know what to make of it. If true it would be horrible.