US intelligence warned of potential conflict between Israel and Hamas days before the attack

(Patria) - US intelligence produced at least two assessments days before Saturday's attack on Israel, partly based on Israeli intelligence data, warning President Joe Biden of an increased risk of a Palestinian-Israeli conflict, CNN reports.

A September 28 report stated that the terrorist group Hamas was preparing to escalate rocket attacks. A CIA Telegram from October 5 warned of an increasing possibility of Hamas violence, and then on October 6, the day before the attack, reports from Israel indicating unusual Hamas activity were circulating among US officials. None of the US assessments offered any tactical details or indications that the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7 would be so extensive and devastating.

"The problem is that none of this was new. This has historically been the norm between Hamas and Israel. I think those who saw the reports dismissed them, assuming nothing significant would happen," one source familiar with the intelligence told CNN.

A senior official from an Arab country said they had repeatedly warned US and Israeli authorities that the level of anger among Palestinians was reaching a dangerous level.

"We warned them repeatedly, they didn't listen to us," the official said.

The Middle East Ambassador in Washington also told CNN that their government had warned the White House and US intelligence agencies about the stockpiling of weapons within Hamas ranks and the anger among Palestinians.

"We warned that they cannot imagine how much weaponry there is in Gaza now and that Hamas's control over the West Bank is becoming a real problem. We have been saying this at every meeting for the last year and a half," the ambassador said.