Desert coal eyes: The secret mediator between Shin Bet and Sinwar in a special interview

Sufian Abu Zaida, the source known as "Desert Coal Eyes," gives his first interview, describing his role as a mediator between Yahya Sinwar and the Shin Bet before October 7. He reveals the note where he recorded Sinwar's warning of "Zilzal" (earthquake) and describes the meeting with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. In the interview, he explains how he conveyed the message and points an accusing finger at the security establishment for failing to grasp the depth of the threat.

Sufian Abu Zaida, the former Palestinian minister known in the Haaretz investigation as "Desert Coal Eyes," gives his first exclusive interview to N12 from Geneva, Switzerland. In the interview, he reveals his role as the secret mediator between Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the Shin Bet in the months leading up to October 7, 2023. Abu Zaida says the contact began in March 2022 around the secret negotiations for a prisoner exchange, when Razi Hamad approached him at Sinwar's request. He met with Sinwar several times, and in August 2022 he even met with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who told him that "the sky would be the limit" regarding Gaza's demands, provided the deal succeeded. The major drama occurred on September 14, 2023, about three weeks before the massacre, when Sinwar called him to an urgent meeting and asked him to write word for word the message: "Zilzal" (earthquake) before the end of September, preparing to empty the prisons and release all prisoners. Abu Zaida conveyed the message via WhatsApp to his contact in the Shin Bet, and within half an hour they called him back requesting an urgent meeting. He admits he did not understand it meant war, and claims that expecting him to grasp the depth of the threat is absurd when facing a comprehensive intelligence system. He describes the morning of October 7 at his home in Jabalia, where he saw rockets in the air and an Israeli military jeep taken as a trophy with a hostage inside. Abu Zaida remained in Gaza for another month until he left on November 11, and now works for Egyptian television.