Ex-PA minister who said he warned Israel about Oct. 7 denies claims he tried to influence election

OCTOBER 4, 2026 08:06Former PA minister Sufian Abu Zaida, identified as "Coal Eyes," the Palestinian mediator who had conveyed a warning message from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to Israel just weeks before the October 7 attack, firmly dismissed, in an interview with The Jerusalem Post, claims raised in Israel that he sought to influence the Israeli election scheduled for late October."I did not choose the timing of the reporting in the Israeli media about that message from Sinwar," he said. "I'm a mediator; I'm not responsible for when and how such information is released," Abu Zaida said, referring to the Haaretz expose.According to a Haaretz investigative report published last month, a warning that 'Hamas was planning a major event' was delivered to Prime Minister Netanyahu by the UAE's president, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Netanyahu's office denied the claim. "I'm not interfering in the elections in Israel and didn't have any intention to do so," Abu Zaida said. He noted that while the reported conversation between the two leaders, Netanyahu and MZB, has generated intense buzz and heightened political debate in Israel, he, for his part, was responsible only for relaying to the Israelis the message he had received from Sinwar himself, which stated that "before the end of September, I will have cards on the table that would cause an earthquake concerning the negotiations, and they [the Israelis] should prepare themselves to empty the prisons."Asked what those cards were that Sinwar was speaking about in his threat, Abu Zaida told the Post, "I don't know. A view of homes destroyed and burned in the Hamas October 7, 2023 massacre at Kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Gaza border, August 5, 2026 (credit: Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)October 7 was 'reckless gamble,' outcome was 'devastating' for PalestiniansAbu Zaida served as a mediator between Hamas and Israel through back channels for about a year prior to Hamas's October 7 onslaught on Israel, engaging in efforts to reach a deal for the exchange of two Israeli soldiers and two civilians held by Hamas in Gaza, in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and steps to ease humanitarian conditions in the strip. Abu Zaida, a former Fatah official originally from the Jabalya camp in northern Gaza, added that after receiving the mid-September 2023 message from Sinwar, he turned to his close associate, Mohammed Dahlan, who heads the Democratic Reform faction."I consulted him before passing it on to the Israelis," Abu Zaida noted. "Dahlan asked me: 'Are you sure that Sinwar wants you to deliver it to Israel?' I told him yes," Abu Zaida recalled. He then informed Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) officials of Sinwar's message.Referring to the attack Hamas launched on Israel three years ago on October 7, Abu Zaida described it as "a reckless gamble based on mistaken calculations and assessments.""The outcome was therefore devastating for the Palestinian people," he said."Looking back, none of the objectives Hamas had put forward as reasons for the attack, especially Jerusalem, the prisoners, the blockade on Gaza, and the settlements in the West Bank, were achieved. In fact, the opposite occurred."Abbas concerned about losing elections, says Abu ZaidaAbu Zaida, a veteran politician, said he was not convinced that the elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council, announced by PA President Mahmoud Abbas for November 28, would be held as planned.Abu Zaida, who is affiliated with the faction led by Mohammed Dahlan, a political rival of Abbas, said he believes Abbas is concerned about losing the elections. "When Abbas sees the ongoing political talks, consultations and maneuvers among opposition Palestinian factions, he realizes that there is a political risk for him," Abu Zaida told the Post. "He [Abbas] understands that Fatah, under his leadership, could lose power. So, he would try to first explore how things are developing, specifically to what extent the opposition factions are influential and strong before making any decisions about moving forward with the elections."He described Dahlan as a Palestinian leader with charisma and influence in many circles. When asked about his prospects of replacing Abbas and becoming president, he said, "It is for Dahlan to decide whether to run for the presidency and in any case, the Palestinian people should make that decision at the ballot box; this is also Dahlan's position," Abu Zaisa added.Dahlan, once a senior Fatah official and security chief, was expelled by Abbas from the movement's central committee and has lived in exile, mostly in the UAE, since 2011. He broke with the official Fatah movement and established his own faction, known as the 'Democratic Reformist Current.'In recent months, discussions have taken place among Palestinian factions opposed to Abbas, including Dahlan's camp, Hamas, and possibly other factions, aimed at uniting under a joint national list ahead of the Palestinian Legislative Council elections. Sources said that while no final decision has been made to form such an opposition bloc, efforts are likely to continue, posing a political challenge to Abbas's leadership.Follow us on Google