Former PA Minister Reveals Message He Says Yahya Sinwar Asked Him to Convey
Former Palestinian Authority minister Sufian Abu Zaida has said he served as an intermediary between Israel and Hamas in the period before the October 7, 2023 attack.
Abu Zaida said he was involved in contacts aimed at securing the release of four Israelis held by Hamas, including two civilians and the bodies of two Israeli soldiers. Negotiations also included discussions over the release of Palestinian prisoners, easing restrictions on Gaza and addressing the enclave’s electricity and water shortages.
He said Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar personally asked him to convey a message to the Israeli side. According to Abu Zaida’s account, Sinwar warned that if negotiations did not move forward, he was preparing a “massive surprise,” referring to an “earthquake.”
The warning was reportedly passed through contacts linked to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Abu Zaida said he plans to provide further details about his contacts with both sides in an upcoming interview.
The account relates to separate reports about warnings allegedly reaching Israeli officials before October 7. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied claims that he received such a warning from the UAE president.
