House foreign affairs committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) revealed in a press briefing on Wednesday that Israeli officials were warned by Egyptian authorities about a possible attack days before Hamas militants conducted a deadly assault on the Gaza border, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied these claims, dismissing them as “fake news.”
McCaul, speaking after a closed-door briefing, stated that the Biden administration had conveyed this information to lawmakers, as they are collaborating with Israeli officials to address the ongoing crisis.
McCaul mentioned, “There seems to have been a failure of intelligence. We’re not quite sure how we missed it. We’re not quite sure how Israel missed it. We know that Egypt had warned the Israelis three days prior that an event like this could happen.”
Lawmakers are also expressing concerns about a potential escalation in the crisis that could lead to militant responses from Lebanon, Iran, and other regions.
McCaul highlighted the fact that Hezbollah possesses 100,000 rockets, which could surpass Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.
The failure of intelligence is crucial in understanding the Hamas attack. Some experts point to deep divisions in Israeli society, including its military apparatus, which have emerged due to Netanyahu’s efforts to shift the country’s political landscape to the right. Recent protests by military members against Netanyahu’s proposed judicial reforms demonstrate these divisions.
Egypt, which shares a border called the Rafah Crossing with the Gaza Strip, could play a role in aiding Palestinian civilians, many of whom are children and teenagers.
However, Egyptian officials have reportedly rejected the idea of setting up safe corridors for civilians to escape into Egypt. Instead, discussions are underway regarding the facilitation of humanitarian resources through the Rafah Crossing.
In the midst of ongoing bombings on the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu has vowed to “wipe” Hamas “off the face of the Earth.”
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