Netanyahu's former military aide reveals a surprise regarding warnings that preceded the October 7 attack

(CNN) - A former senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Israeli leader received internal warnings about the possibility of war before the October 7 attacks, and that there are still “huge gaps” between what the public knows and what actually happened, in an interview that included dangerous statements.

It was Major General Avi Gil who woke up the Israeli Prime Minister on the morning of the bloodiest attacks in the country's history. His statements increase the pressure on Netanyahu, a few weeks before crucial elections that will determine his political future.

Speaking to the Israeli “News 12” channel, Gil, who served as Netanyahu’s military secretary from July 2021 to May 2024, said, “For weeks, documents have been presented, and the security establishment has been describing a reality in which our enemies recognize the divisions within Israeli society as a point of weakness, and see an erosion in Israel’s ability to deter.”

Gale explained that there was no specific warning about a large-scale attack emanating from Gaza, but he noted that the Israeli security establishment was aware that the state’s opponents viewed the protests sweeping the country and the growing divisions within society as an opportunity.

Gil said: “Have we begun to observe, within the security establishment, an erosion of deterrence and a change in our enemies’ view of the State of Israel? The definitive answer is yes, and all levels have been informed of this.”

This direct testimony adds to a growing body of reports that Netanyahu received warnings, both general and specific, about the possibility of a Hamas attack from Gaza in the weeks and months leading up to October 7, 2023.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported in early September that Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, called Netanyahu directly and warned him of a major operation planned by Hamas, just a few days before the attack. In the same period, The Atlantic magazine reported that the head of Egyptian intelligence at the time, Abbas Kamel, personally traveled to Israel to inform Netanyahu that Hamas was preparing to launch a major attack. Netanyahu denied these reports, describing what was published by the newspaper "Haaretz" as an "absolute lie."

But Gale's account differs from previous reports, because it comes from within the highest levels of the Israeli government. As Netanyahu's military secretary, Gil attended meetings of the security cabinet alongside the prime minister, and was privy to important communications before the outbreak of war.

It was Gil who called Netanyahu and woke him up on the morning of the attack, before communicating with him via the secure “red line,” a phone designated for secret communications. He says that at 6:41 a.m., 12 minutes after the Hamas-led attack began, he told Netanyahu clearly and categorically: “We are in a state of war.”

In response to the interview, Netanyahu issued a statement saying: “Like others, Avi Gil was aware of the impending attack and chose not to wake the prime minister in time. Gil’s interviews are nothing but attempts to obscure the simple and painful truth about his failure to carry out his duties.”

Opposition politicians launched a scathing attack on Netanyahu following the interview, demanding that the government's attorney general investigate Gale's allegations. Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main rival and former chief of staff of the Israeli army, said: "The truth about the October 7 attack is not Netanyahu's private property; the Israeli public has the right to know the whole truth, conduct a comprehensive investigation into responsibilities, and seek justice."

Like the head of the Israeli military unit responsible for the hostage file, Gale stated that Netanyahu valued the stability of his government over the return of the hostages, including those who could have returned alive to their homes. Gale noted that Netanyahu may have been inclined to agree to previous deals to release the hostages, but far-right ministers in his government convinced him otherwise.

“Bereaved families come to me and I sit with them,” he said. “There is a term used which is ‘survivors’, which I find appalling when I sit across from people who have come back from that hell. And yes, you realize that some of them could have come home sooner.”

Gil also noted that there are "huge gaps" between what the Israeli public knows about what happened before and after October 7, and what actually happened.

Netanyahu had submitted a lengthy response to Israel's oversight body regarding his actions related to the October 7 attack, but Gale claimed that the document "reflects only part of the picture."

He said: "What I saw does not faithfully reflect everything that was said in those discussions; in fact, it does not even reflect half of the picture. I am talking about lies, half-truths, and things that do not reflect what I witnessed during my time as military secretary."