Egypt warned Israel 3 days before Hamas attack- US lawmaker
Israel got a warning from Egypt of potential violence three days before Hamas caught Israeli forces off-guard with Saturday’s attack, said the chairman of the powerful US House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“We know that Egypt has warned the Israelis three days prior that an event like this could happen,” Republican Michael McCaul told reporters following a closed-door intelligence briefing for lawmakers on the crisis.
“I don’t want to get too much into classified (details), but a warning was given,” he said. “I think the question was at what level.”
McCaul said the attack may have been planned as long as a year ago.
“We’re not quite sure how we missed it. We’re not quite sure how Israel missed it,” he told reporters.
Cairo has not commented officially on suggestions that it may have offered an early warning.
Meanwhile , Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the establishment of an emergency unity government and war cabinet. The latter includes Netanyahu, former Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
Gadi Eisenkot, also a former army chief from Gantz’s party, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will serve as observers.
In Gaza, the only power plant in the besieged enclave shut down after it ran out of fuel, said Gaza’s electricity authority.
The death toll on both sides mounted on the fifth day of the war, with 1,100 Palestinians killed in Gaza and 1,200 Israelis, including 169 soldiers, killed in the Hamas attack.
Ten French nationals were killed and 18 are missing, said French PM Élisabeth Borne on Wednesday. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.
Source : France 24