NYT: Netanyahu Chaired Oct. 1, 2023 Security Meeting Pushing 'Calm' in Gaza for Saudi Deal, Never Mentioned UAE's Attack Warning to Security Chiefs

The New York Times reported Friday, September 25, 2026 that Prime Minister Netanyahu convened a security meeting on October 1, 2023 — six days before the Hamas attack — attended by Mossad chief David Barnea, then-defense minister Yoav Gallant, then-Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, then-IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi, then-national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and then-strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer, at which Netanyahu argued Israel's goal should be to maintain calm in Gaza so as not to jeopardize a potential Saudi Arabia normalization deal, overruling officials who wanted to strike senior Hamas figures directing West Bank attacks. According to the report, Netanyahu did not disclose to the group the warning he had personally received from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed roughly ten days earlier that Hamas was planning a major operation; five former senior Israeli officials told the Times the warning never reached the heads of Israel's security establishment. Netanyahu's office has called the underlying UAE-warning report 'an absolute lie' and threatened Haaretz, which first reported the call, with a libel suit.