Former Palestinian minister claims he warned Israel ahead of 7 October attack

Former Palestinian Authority minister Sufian Abu Zaida has claimed he warned Israel about the 7 October attack weeks prior to its occurrence, according to The Times of Israel. In a video shared on Facebook, Abu Zaida stated that he was the unnamed source mentioned in a report by Haaretz journalist Shlomi Eldar. He alleged that Yahya Sinwar, then-Hamas leader, had threatened an "earthquake" should talks with Israel over a prolonged agreement fail.

Abu Zaida, who at the time served as Palestinian Authority’s minister for prisoner affairs, claimed he acted as an intermediary, delivering Sinwar's message to Israeli intelligence officials. The Times of Israel corroborated his disclosure, suggesting it aligns with earlier conjectures regarding the intermediary's identity, potentially tying him to former senior Palestinian official Mohammed Dahlan.

Additionally, Haaretz reported that the warning was communicated to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, who allegedly relayed the information to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although Netanyahu has refuted these allegations.