Things That Happened in the Week Before the Atrocities in Israel

Who knew what?

A summary of things that happened in the week before the bloodshed in Israel:

• Ten days before the killing of innocent civilians, Egypt warned Israel.

  According to a senior Egyptian source, about ten days before Hamas's surprise attack on Israeli territory, the Egyptian Minister of Intelligence, General Abbas Kamel, contacted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, warning of "something unusual, a terrible operation" that was about to take place from the direction of Gaza.

• Four days before the attack, western allies said they are running out of ammunition for Ukraine.

Western military powers are running out of ammunition to give Ukraine to defend itself against Russia's full-scale invasion, the UK and Nato have warned.

Adm Rob Bauer, Nato's most senior military official, told the Warsaw Security Forum that "the bottom of the barrel is now visible".

UK Defence Minister James Heappey told the forum that Western military stockpiles were "looking a bit thin" and urged Nato allies to spend 2% of their national wealth on defence, as they had committed to do.

Swedish Defence Minister Pol Jonson said it was vital for Europe to get its defence industrial base in shape to support Ukraine for the long term. "Because we're digging pretty deep now into our pockets, into our stocks," he said.

Analysts say that in contrast, Russia appears much more able to gear up its wartime economy to replenish its own stockpiles.

• Four days before the attack, a number of European countries appeared to have a change of heart over supporting Ukraine.

  In a Sept. 20 interview with local broadcaster Polsat News, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki declared that, while maintaining support for Kyiv’s fight against Moscow’s invasion, his government has halted weapon supplies to Ukraine to focus on arming Poland’s armed forces.

  “We don’t donate any arms to Ukraine anymore, because we are now arming ourselves with the most modern weapons.”

  Another important Eastern European partner Ukraine has been able to count on previously has been Slovakia.

  Yet, similar to what has taken place in Poland, the country appears to be changing its stance on arming Ukrainian troops. This change of heart has been driven by the newly elected pro-Russian Prime Minister in Slovakia, Robert Fico. One of the politician’s electoral slogans was “Not a single round,” for Ukraine, where he vowed to end military support to the war torn country.

• Three days before the attack, western politicians began distancing themselves from Ukraine. The removal of US House Speaker Kevin McCarty meant funds were drying up.

  Without a Speaker, the House is unable to pass legislation, and it may be a week or more before a successor is elected – throwing America’s military backing for Kyiv into doubt. The vote to remove McCarthy follows a weekend deal in which funding for the government was extended for 45 days – but in which no provision was made for fresh aid to Ukraine. That left the Biden administration’s $24 billion request for fresh military aid, submitted to Congress in the summer, in limbo. It also left the coffers dangerously low.

  McCarthy has now lost his role and has ruled out running for Speaker again. While it’s unclear who might succeed him, several potential candidates are skeptical about continuing support for Ukraine at current levels.

  McCarthy himself warned: “Our members have a lot of questions, especially on the accountability provisions of what we want to see with the money that gets sent.” 

• Three days before Hamas’ deadly cross-border raid, Egypt once again warned Israel about the potential violence.

  House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee head Michael McCaul told reporters of the alleged warning.

  "We know that Egypt has warned the Israelis three days prior that an event like this could happen," Mr McCaul told reporters following a closed-door intelligence briefing on Wednesday for lawmakers about the Middle East crisis, according to AFP news agency.

  "I don't want to get too much into classified, but a warning was given," the Texas Republican added. "I think the question was at what level."

• Two days before the terrorist attack, over 100 people were killed in an attack on a military academy in Syria.

  It was one of the bloodiest attacks ever against a Syrian army installation, and unprecedented in its use of weaponised drones in a country that has endured 12 years of civil war.

  Civilians and military personnel were killed in the attack on the military academy in the central province of Homs, Syria’s defence ministry said in a statement, adding “terrorist” groups had used drones to carry it out.

  The statement did not specify an organisation and no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

  Syria’s defence and foreign ministries vowed in written statements to respond “with full force” to the attack.

• Two days before the Israeli Rave Massacre, where at least 260 people were killed, the organisers moved the location of the festival to within earshot of the Gaza Strip.

  Universo Paralello was not origintally intended to take place at the Re’im site, with organizers moving it to this location only two days before it started, when another site in southern Israel fell through. The new site at Re’im featured a pair of stages, with the Israeli producer Artifex playing the mainstage when the attack started. Gaster was told that the attackers closed the road into the festival from both sides so attendees could not escape.

• Two days before the attack, Hamas were “rocked by Israeli spy penetrating its highest ranks”.

  An Israeli intelligence agent successfully infiltrated the upper echelons of Hamas in Lebanon, sending shockwaves through the terror organization and causing significant embarrassment.

  The agent in question, identified as Khalil Abu Ma’za, a Hamas operative from the Gaza Strip, had been operating undercover for years, working closely with Israeli intelligence.

  The reports also say Lebanese authorities arrested him towards the end of September.

  The successful infiltration of a Hamas operative into the upper ranks of the organization has caused significant embarrassment and concern among its leadership. Saleh Arouri, who is believed to be a top target for Israeli assassination, is said to be particularly worried about the security breach.

  According to Lebanese intelligence reports, Abu Ma’za was originally tasked with infiltrating the leadership of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a mission he carried out with remarkable success. Under the guidance of his Israeli handlers, he climbed the ranks of Hamas, especially within its Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

  Now, authorities in Lebanon are investigating whether Abu Ma’za managed to establish additional cells and whether he poses a threat to the top leadership of Hamas in future conflicts.

• One day before the attack, the US approved the release of $75 million of aid to Palestine.

  In a quiet move bypassing Republican obstructionism, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has approved the release of $75 million in crucial food assistance for Palestinians just hours before the funds were set to be redistributed elsewhere.

• Hours before the onslaught, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and a series of IDF generals held a phone consultation on the situation in Gaza.

  A Channel 12 report on Thursday said that Halevi and a series of IDF generals held a phone consultation on the situation in Gaza just hours ahead of the Hamas onslaught, due to some warnings and irregularities. However, the generals involved, including IDF Southern Command chief Yaron Finkelman and Military Intelligence Directorate chief Aharon Haliva, reportedly decided to wait until morning in order to respond. The Hamas assault began around 6 a.m.

  IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters Thursday that there were no major intelligence warnings, but confirmed there had been some “signs.”