Several weeks before October 7, Israel received an ambiguous message from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, which the security agencies misinterpreted, Keshet 12 reports.
The message mentioned "an expected escalation in prisons and concerning prisoners." The Shin Bet, IDF, and Mossad attempted to decipher this classified message. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant were aware of the message, but it is unclear if they participated in its discussion.
According to Avraham, Israeli officials initially believed that Sinwar's message was not about a potential prison riot but rather about Israeli captives. After extensive discussions, it was concluded that Sinwar was referring to Elizaveta Tsurkova, who has been held hostage by the Iraqi Hezbollah militia since March 2023. Israeli officials thought Sinwar might demand the release of Hamas militants from prison in exchange for Tsurkova's freedom.
