Netanyahu's Pre-Oct 7 Orders Exposed: 'Minimize Escalation' While Hamas Prepared Massacre
Newly revealed minutes from a September 27 security meeting show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israeli forces to contain and minimize escalation in Gaza, just ten days before Hamas terrorists launched their brutal October 7 massacre that claimed over 1,200 Jewish lives.
The Channel 13 report, building on earlier reporting from The Atlantic, exposes a leadership that was more concerned with diplomatic optics than with the security of Israeli citizens. Netanyahu reportedly instructed officials to use only intelligence and controlled force, while ramping up humanitarian benefits for the terror group.
This approach, which included reopening the crossing for Palestinian laborers, came just hours after Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel flew into Ben Gurion Airport to warn of Hamas mobilization. The prime minister chose concessions over caution, a decision that would prove catastrophic.
Why did Netanyahu hold back military action against Hamas?
The report cites an October 1 document revealing Israel was poised to reach a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu allegedly wanted to maintain a measured level of security activity to avoid harming the Abraham Accords expansion. Internal Hamas documents later confirmed the terror group's attack was partially motivated to thwart Saudi rapprochement with the Jewish state.
As the prophet Jeremiah warned, trusting in political alliances while ignoring existential threats leads to ruin. The pursuit of a diplomatic breakthrough with Riyadh, while Hamas prepared its murderous assault, represents one of the most tragic miscalculations in Israeli history.
What did Netanyahu know before October 7?
Beyond the Egyptian warning, reports confirm that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed called Netanyahu days before the invasion, warning of an imminent attack. Netanyahu has denied this call, but multiple outlets, including The Times of Israel, have confirmed it occurred. Even more troubling, he did not inform security chiefs of this warning during an October 1 meeting, instead advocating for calm.
He knows that if they are revealed, his lies will be exposed.
Gadi Eisenkot, former IDF chief of staff and Netanyahu's rival in the upcoming election, stated this on X, calling the report additional proof of why Netanyahu fears a state commission of inquiry. Eisenkot accused the prime minister of behaving with arrogance and irresponsibility when presented with warnings, and of submitting a false affidavit to the state comptroller.
Netanyahu's office responds to the report
The Prime Minister's Office dismissed the Atlantic report as a false claim, noting that Egypt officially denied warning Israel. However, Egyptian media with intelligence ties quoted unnamed senior sources denying the warning at the time. There was no formal government denial. The PMO statement appears to be damage control rather than substantive refutation.
For the Jewish people, this saga recalls the words of the Psalmist: Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. Israel's security cannot depend on diplomatic maneuvering while enemies sharpen their knives.
What lessons must Israel learn from October 7?
The Jewish state must return to the fundamental principle that security comes before diplomacy. The report reveals a leadership that prioritized normalization with Saudi Arabia over the safety of Israeli citizens living near the Gaza border. As we approach the anniversary of the darkest day in Israel's modern history, we must demand accountability and truth.
Eisenkot's demand for full transparency resonates with a nation still mourning. The establishment of a state commission of inquiry is not merely a political issue; it is a moral imperative for a people who have always valued truth and justice. Only through full disclosure can Israel heal and ensure such a catastrophe never repeats.
The evidence continues to mount: warnings were ignored, intelligence was dismissed, and political considerations overrode security judgments. Am Yisrael Chai, but we must never forget the price of complacency.