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Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel personally contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just days before the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre to warn of signs that an attack from Gaza could be imminent, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The reported phone call was said to have come after Egypt had already delivered two other warnings to Israel about troubling developments in Gaza.

The Journal, citing officials from an Arab government, reported that Kamel’s call represented a third Egyptian warning ahead of the Hamas assault. The existence of that specific phone conversation had not previously been publicly reported.

According to the report, Egyptian officials had twice previously alerted Israel to indications that an attack could be approaching, but those warnings did not result in action that prevented the October 7 assault. Kamel then reportedly took the extraordinary step of personally calling Netanyahu in the final days before the attack.

The Journal also reported that Netanyahu received a warning from United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed during September 2023. That message reportedly concerned indications that Hamas was preparing an attack. Neither the Egyptian nor Emirati warnings, however, was said to have included a specific date for an assault or information establishing the enormous scope of what Hamas was planning.

Netanyahu’s office did not respond to questions from the Journal regarding the latest report. The Prime Minister’s Office has previously strongly disputed claims that Netanyahu had communicated with Kamel during the months preceding October 7. Egyptian and Emirati officials also did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment.

The new report comes just days after The New York Times reported that bin Zayed had privately warned Netanyahu shortly before October 7 that Hamas might be preparing a major attack. According to that account, five former senior Israeli officials said the Emirati warning never reached Israel’s security leadership. Netanyahu’s office and the UAE Foreign Ministry did not respond to the Times regarding that report.

The claims surrounding Egypt have also taken on added significance following a separate investigation by The Atlantic, which reported that Kamel himself made a brief and highly unusual trip to Israel on September 26, 2023 — just 11 days before the massacre.

According to Israeli Airports Authority records and independent flight-tracking information cited in the investigation, a private aircraft connected to Egyptian intelligence landed at Ben Gurion Airport that day and remained in Israel for only 67 minutes before departing.

The Atlantic reported, based on interviews with Israeli, Egyptian, Arab, American and European officials, that Kamel’s purpose in making the trip was to convey an urgent warning about developments in Gaza and indications that Hamas appeared to be preparing for a significant attack.

Officials cited in the report said Kamel conveyed that the situation in Gaza was becoming increasingly dangerous and that Israel had little time left to take steps that might prevent a major escalation. One former Israeli official summarized the Egyptian message as: “If you don’t change course, Gaza is going to explode in your face.”

The warning, however, reportedly did not provide a date for an attack, identify potential targets or lay out details of Hamas’ operational plans. Rather, Kamel reportedly urged Israel to pursue economic measures involving Hamas and Gaza in an effort to lower tensions and prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

Netanyahu’s office has rejected The Atlantic’s account, saying the allegation “was denied at the time and is being recycled to manipulate the Israeli public.” The Prime Minister’s Office has also said that Netanyahu neither met nor spoke with Kamel during the months before October 7 and that no Israeli intelligence official conveyed such an Egyptian warning to him.

Matzav.com regrets to inform you of the petirah of Rav Raphael Yitzchak Isaac Shain zt”l, a longtime and beloved rebbe at Adelphia Yeshiva and a member of a distinguished Torah family whose roots are intertwined with the development of Torah life in America.

Rav Shain was a son of Rav Moshe Shain zt”l and the renowned Rebbetzin Ruchoma Shain a”h, celebrated author of the classic All for the Boss and other widely read works. Rebbetzin Shain was a daughter of Rav Yaakov Yosef Herman zt”l, the legendary Torah pioneer whose extraordinary efforts to preserve and strengthen Yiddishkeit in America became known to generations through his daughter’s writings.

Rav Raphael Yitzchak was thus a grandson of Rav Yaakov Yosef Herman, growing up in a family in which dedication to Torah and chinuch was a defining feature.

His parents themselves represented an important link to the great Torah world of prewar Europe. Shortly after their marriage, Rav Moshe and Rebbetzin Ruchoma Shain traveled to Mir, where Rav Moshe learned for nearly six years in the Mirrer Yeshiva under Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, Rav Yeruchom Levovitz and Rav Yechezkel Levenstein. The couple later returned to the United States, and after their children were grown, they moved to Yerushalayim.

Rav Moshe Shain was a gifted Torah educator whose influence on his talmidim remained with them for decades. Rebbetzin Shain, in her writings, described her husband as a “Torah educator par excellence,” and quoted a friend who said that he “commanded respect without demanding respect.”

That legacy of chinuch was continued by their son, Rav Raphael Yitzchak, who devoted himself to teaching and guiding talmidim. For many years, he served as a rebbe at Adelphia Yeshiva, where he became a beloved figure to generations of students.

Rav Shain carried with him the values of a home steeped in Torah and built upon an extraordinary family history. His maternal grandfather, Rav Yaakov Yosef Herman, became famous for his fierce commitment to Shabbos, kashrus, Torah learning and every aspect of Yiddishkeit at a time when religious observance in America often came at an enormous personal cost.

Rebbetzin Ruchoma Shain brought that world to life for generations of readers through All for the Boss, first published in 1984. The book chronicled her father’s remarkable life and his determination to build Torah in America without compromise. It went on to become a classic of Jewish literature and introduced countless readers to the Herman family and the sacrifices made by an earlier generation of American Yidden.

She later authored additional books, including Reaching the Stars, Dearest Children, All for the Best and Shining Lights, continuing to transmit the lessons and personalities that had shaped her life.

Rav Raphael Yitzchak grew up surrounded by those values and devoted his own life to their transmission through chinuch. His passing is a loss particularly to the many talmidim who knew him as their rebbe and to the Adelphia Yeshiva community in which he served.

Rav Shain was one of three children of Rav Moshe and Rebbetzin Ruchoma Shain. His siblings are Rav Yisrael Meir Shain and Mrs. Mashi Wilner.

The levayah will take place today, the first day of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, at 2:15 p.m. at the Yoshon (Bendheim) Bais Medrash of Bais Medrash Govoha, located at 617 Seventh Street in Lakewood.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

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THIS THURSDAY!

Chol Hamoed Sukkos

At the Ritz Theater

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British counterterrorism authorities are investigating an apparent plot near RAF Fairford, a British air base used by the United States, after five men were arrested early Sunday and three suspicious trucks were found near the facility.

London’s Metropolitan Police, which leads investigations involving suspected terrorism, said authorities were alerted at approximately 12:45 a.m. to three vehicles that appeared to be heading toward RAF Fairford. The British-owned installation has been operated by the United States under an arrangement dating back to the Cold War.

The arrests come amid heightened concern in Britain over operations conducted by hostile foreign states and their proxies. British authorities have repeatedly identified Russia and Iran among the countries accused of using proxies to carry out criminal activity inside the United Kingdom.

Officials said in March that national security investigations involving hostile-state activity, including cases connected to Iran, had risen by 50% during the six-month period ending in December 2025.

RAF Fairford has been used by American bombers conducting narrowly defined strikes against Iranian missile sites. Those operations were carried out under an agreement reached with then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who subsequently expressed opposition to the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

Investigators are reportedly examining a possible Iranian connection to the incident, although no determination has been announced. Tehran has previously maintained that military installations used to launch attacks against Iranian territory can be considered legitimate targets.

President Trump praised the law enforcement and security personnel involved in intercepting the suspects, saying they had been under surveillance before their arrests.

“It was an amazing job. We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. And working with the British worked out great,” he told reporters in Chicago on Sunday. “We had them under view for a long time and we got them.”

The five suspects were first taken into custody on suspicion of violations of Britain’s Explosives Act in the Whelford area, which borders RAF Fairford. The installation houses the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing as well as the 420th Air Base Squadron.

Aerial video broadcast by Sky News showed what appeared to be a bomb-disposal robot operating among three white trucks. The rear doors of two vehicles were open, with large black objects visible nearby, while the robot appeared to be attempting to gain access to the third vehicle.

Authorities have not released the nationalities of the five suspects. Under Britain’s Terrorism Act 2000, individuals arrested on terrorism suspicions may be held for as long as 14 days without being charged, significantly longer than the ordinary 24-hour detention period unless authorities obtain an extension.

“We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody,” said Vicki Evans, the Met’s counterterrorism policing senior national coordinator.

Evans said authorities established a 400-yard security perimeter around the three suspicious vehicles while British military personnel carried out examinations. Approximately 85 households were evacuated as a precaution, with some displaced residents being brought to a nearby recreation center.

The U.S. Embassy in London also issued a warning to Americans, urging them to exercise caution and remain attentive to their personal security.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham acknowledged that news of the incident would be “deeply concerning” to many people. In a social media post, Burnham expressed appreciation to police and military personnel responding to the scene and thanked residents forced to leave their homes “while precautionary checks are carried out.”

Burnham also appealed to the public “not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts.”

War Secretary Pete Hegseth and British defense chief Wes Streeting have also discussed the developing situation.

British security authorities have previously accused proxies connected to Iran of involvement in attempted arson and sabotage operations in Britain and elsewhere, including incidents directed against Jewish targets. Officials have warned that Tehran could broaden the range of potential targets inside Britain if Middle East hostilities continue.

Gloucestershire Police said the immediate situation appeared to be “contained” while urging residents in the area to continue following instructions from authorities as the investigation proceeds.

Julian Tudsbery, a Whelford resident for three decades, said another person in the community had spotted three “suspicious vans” in the village during the early hours of Sunday. Tudsbery said police subsequently arrived and ordered residents to leave.

“There were several police, three police cars in the drive, and they said you need to evacuate, there’s been a major incident, said he couldn’t elaborate,” he said.

Hezbollah is shifting its deployment across southern Lebanon and moving missiles, ammunition and other weapons to new locations, as the IDF closely monitors the terror group for signs that it may be preparing to escalate the confrontation in the coming days.

Lebanese military sources told the Eram News website that Hezbollah has recently transferred precision missiles, defensive systems, weapons and ammunition to villages west of the Yellow Line and south of the Litani River.

According to the sources, some of the weapons were removed from tunnels and strategic positions that Hezbollah has lost, including sites in the vicinity of the Ali Taher Ridge. The weapons have reportedly been dispersed among new locations inside towns and villages, including areas near residential homes and destroyed buildings. Hezbollah terrorists have also been stationed at the sites to guard the newly established weapons caches.

The redeployment follows IDF operations that seized tunnels and other positions used by Hezbollah to store weapons and ammunition. The underground infrastructure had also allowed Hezbollah terrorists to move between locations while avoiding Israeli aerial surveillance.

A senior Lebanese military source told Eram News that Hezbollah is now facing a “strategic problem” after mountain roads and passages previously used to move terrorists between positions were exposed. At the same time, tunnels that enabled Hezbollah members to travel underground and reach forward positions without being detected above ground have been destroyed.

Israel, meanwhile, has continued carrying out strikes against Hezbollah. A series of operations over recent days has eliminated a number of terrorists belonging to the organization.

The IDF Northern Command is simultaneously preparing to complete the deployment of Israeli forces along the Yellow Line. According to the IDF, Hezbollah infrastructure throughout the area has been destroyed, and Israel is now constructing an extensive new line of military positions across the sector, inside Lebanese territory.

The IDF chief of staff recently visited Northern Command and approved plans for establishing and strengthening the new defensive line. Those plans also include preparations for offensive operations should Hezbollah attempt to escalate the situation.

Israeli defense officials are continuing to closely follow Hezbollah’s movements and assess what the terror group may be planning in the coming days. At the same time, the IDF is preparing to preserve its freedom of action against Hezbollah while contending with growing international scrutiny of Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

Bnei Brak municipal officials have launched an internal investigation amid suspicions that listening devices were secretly placed inside the office of Mayor Chanoch Zeibert and then removed before experts arrived to conduct a professional security sweep.

The investigation began after officials at the municipality received information and discovered indications that raised concerns that someone may have been conducting surveillance inside the municipal building. A professional firm specializing in detecting hidden listening equipment was subsequently called in to inspect the offices, including Mayor Zeibert’s office. According to Kikar HaShabbat, evidence uncovered during the examination suggested that surveillance devices may previously have been installed in the mayor’s office but were apparently removed before the experts conducted their search.

In the wake of those findings, municipal officials began examining footage from security cameras throughout the building. Investigators are attempting to establish who entered Mayor Zeibert’s office during the period in question and identify individuals who could have gained access to the room.

The municipality’s internal probe has also focused on an electronic access chip that had previously been connected to a senior municipal official. Investigators suspect that the chip may have been used to gain entry to the mayor’s office in order to install the alleged surveillance equipment. At this stage, however, officials have not established who actually used the chip, who may have ordered or carried out the suspected surveillance, or what information they were allegedly seeking to obtain.

The matter has not yet been formally reported to police. Municipal sources said the city intends to complete its own investigation and collect the relevant evidence before filing a police complaint following Yom Tov.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has ordered Israeli officials to begin assembling a legal case against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, focusing on allegations concerning Ankara’s treatment of the Kurdish population and its financial links to Hamas, according to a report by i24NEWS legal analyst Avishai Grinzaig.

Netanyahu reportedly instructed an interministerial team, together with the director of the Justice Ministry’s International Law Department, to compile the material for a possible international legal proceeding against the Turkish leader.

The move follows a continuing deterioration in relations between Israel and Turkey and comes after Erdogan announced last month that Ankara had turned to Interpol in an effort to pursue Netanyahu’s arrest. According to the report, that step was among a series of Turkish actions that prompted Netanyahu to order preparation of the legal case.

The Israeli effort is expected to concentrate heavily on allegations involving Erdogan’s actions against Turkey’s Kurdish population. Officials are also reportedly gathering material concerning Turkey’s connections to Hamas and allegations that Erdogan’s government has helped finance the terrorist organization.

One possibility under consideration would involve bringing the material before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Israel could potentially pursue the matter itself, though officials reportedly view submitting it through a third party as the more likely course. Neither Israel nor Turkey is a party to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC.

Israeli officials, however, reportedly do not necessarily expect — or even want — the case to reach the filing stage. According to i24NEWS, the preparation of a detailed legal dossier, combined with the possibility that it could ultimately be submitted, is intended in part to give Israel leverage against Erdogan and deter additional steps by Ankara.

The development comes just days after Netanyahu launched a blistering attack on Erdogan during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, accusing the Turkish leader and his government of spreading antisemitism and directing a series of accusations at Erdogan’s record.

“The latest country to become a super-spreader of antisemitic lies is Turkey,” Netanyahu declared.

“Erdogan is a tyrant who also hosts the Hamas terror chiefs,” he continued, accusing the Turkish President of murdering thousands of Kurdish civilians, denying the Armenian genocide, and imprisoning journalists and opposition figures.

Netanyahu also used the UN address to accuse Erdogan of illegally occupying Northern Cyprus, violating Greek sovereignty, attempting to extend Turkish control over Syria and repeatedly calling for Israel’s destruction.

Turning directly to Erdogan’s statements regarding Yerushalayim, Netanyahu delivered an unequivocal response from the UN podium.

“No, Sir. You won’t. This is our country, our city, our eternal capital.”