Gallant says Shin Bet got Hamas warning before Oct. 7 attack
Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that Shin Bet received a Hamas message mentioning leader Yahya Sinwar before the Oct. 7 assault, but officials did not link it to a large-scale operation.
Yoav Gallant, who served as Israel's Defense Minister, told Galei Zahal that the Shin Bet had received a Hamas communication stating that leader Yahya Sinwar would "shake the prisons" before the Oct. 7 massacre. At the time, Shin Bet and the Military Intelligence Directorate assessed the note as tied to the kidnapping of Elizabeth Tsurkov rather than a full-scale attack. Gallant added that he was unaware of any prior alerts from Egypt or the United Arab Emirates during his tenure, learning of such claims only through media reports.
He emphasized that any warning to a prime minister would be handled by the security establishment, not political leaders. When asked about reports of Egypt's intelligence chief visiting Israel shortly before the attack, Gallant said no such meeting occurred to his knowledge. The remarks highlight gaps in how early intelligence was interpreted and communicated.
