Consultant Michael McCaul backed up earlier claims that Egypt tipped Israeli officers off to an impending assault
Three days earlier than Hamas’ large-scale assault on Israel, the Egyptian authorities warned their Israeli counterparts that such an operation was imminent, US Home Overseas Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul advised reporters on Wednesday.
“We all know that Egypt has warned the Israelis three days prior that an occasion like this might occur,” McCaul stated following a closed-door intelligence briefing on Capitol Hill.
“I don’t wish to get an excessive amount of into categorised, however a warning was given,” McCaul continued. “I believe the query was at what degree.”
The Related Press reported on Monday that Israeli officers ignored repeated warnings from Cairo that Hamas was planning “one thing massive.” Citing a supply inside Egyptian intelligence, the information company claimed that the Israeli authorities felt that an assault was unlikely to come back from Gaza, and would in all probability happen within the West Financial institution as an alternative.
The AP report didn’t specify how lately these warnings have been allegedly made.
Hamas militants started firing barrages of rockets into Israel from Gaza on Saturday, with fighters then pouring throughout the border and raiding Jewish settlements close to the Palestinian enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by declaring a state of warfare and launching airstrikes on Gaza.
Israel has since come beneath rocket fireplace from Lebanon and Syria, and as of Wednesday, greater than 1,200 Israelis are useless and three,200 injured, in keeping with authorities figures. Not less than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed and greater than 5,300 wounded, in keeping with the Palestinian Well being Ministry.
Saturday’s shock assault has been considered as a catastrophic failure for Israel’s intelligence providers, which have been beforehand believed to have eyes and ears all through Gaza.
Netanyahu has repeatedly denied that he was notified of Hamas’ plans earlier than the onslaught.
Shortly after McCaul spoke to reporters in Washington, an nameless Egyptian official advised the Instances of Israel that Cairo’s brokers did warn their Israeli counterparts a few deliberate Hamas assault, however that this warning could not have made it to Netanyahu’s workplace.
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