Yoav Gallant told Army Radio on Sunday that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had sent a warning to Israel through a Shin Bet channel before the Oct 7, 2023 assault, saying the group would "shake the prisons".
Gallant added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had received similar warnings from foreign leaders, yet the former defence minister was not briefed. He first heard of the alerts via media reports, and argues that if the warnings had reached Netanyahu, they should have triggered a serious security response.
Gallant claims Netanyahu excluded senior security officials—including himself—from key discussions with U.S. counterparts during the war. He says he only learned about critical talks on hostages and ammunition after American officials called him to verify what had been said.
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister's Office released Netanyahu's schedule from the morning of Oct 7, amid disputes over the timing and nature of his communications as the attack unfolded, which killed 1,200 people. Gallant’s allegations now prompt calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the decision‑making process.