Cario, Egypt – The Israeli prime minister held an hourlong meeting with the UAE president on Sunday, according to two officials briefed on Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip, which was first reported by Israel’s Channel 12 TV station, the AP reported.

One of them said the talks focused on a report published by the Israeli daily Haaretz earlier this month that said the Emirati leader warned Netanyahu about a looming attack by Hamas just ahead of October 7, 2023.

Netanyahu asked Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed to deny the report, according to an official who is said to have firsthand information about the meeting. Netanyahu’s office had previously denied the Haaretz report.

The official, along with a regional official briefed on the meeting, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the secret trip, AP stated.

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment on reports about the meeting but stressed it maintains ‘open and direct lines of communication’ with Israel and shares ‘all relevant intelligence’.

There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office.