Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing fresh allegations that he was warned of an impending Hamas attack before October 7, 2023, weeks ahead of Israel’s parliamentary elections.

The New York Times reported claims that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed secretly alerted Netanyahu to a planned offensive, while The Atlantic said Egypt’s intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, visited Israel 11 days before the attack with a similar warning.

Former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also alleged that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had previously warned Israel that he would “shake the prisons”.

Netanyahu has dismissed the reports as “an absolute lie”. The allegations have intensified opposition calls for an official inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the October 7 attack, which Netanyahu has so far rejected.