Mossad official disputes 7 October warning claims: 4 checks for UAE pharmacy operators

Eyal Tsir Cohen, a former senior Mossad official, told Army Radio on 28 September 2026 that he did not recall warnings from the United Arab Emirates or Egypt before the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack, according to The Jerusalem Post.

For UAE healthcare operators, the immediate point is narrow. The report does not create a new clinical protocol, insurance benefit or pharmacy dispensing rule in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or the northern emirates. Its operational value is different: it tests how clinics, insurers and pharmacy providers respond when regional security claims move through patients, staff and suppliers before regulators issue instructions.

What was reported

The Jerusalem Post reported that Cohen, formerly connected to Mossad international diplomacy, said he had no knowledge of alleged warnings from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, former senior Fatah official Sufian Abu Zaida or then Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel. The issue follows earlier reporting that the UAE warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu days before the attack, including an Associated Press account published on 8 September 2026.

"I do not recall any reports regarding a warning from MBZ."
Eyal Tsir Cohen, former Mossad official, quoted by The Jerusalem Post

The dispute is political and intelligence-related. It is not a health ministry announcement. As of 29 September 2026, healthcare providers should look to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) for Dubai instructions, the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH Abu Dhabi) for Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) for Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain.

Why clinics, insurers and pharmacies should care

The main risk for Dubai clinics and pharmacy chains is customer behaviour. Regional security headlines can produce same-day calls about travel medicine, chronic-drug refills, mental health appointments and emergency cover. Those calls affect front desks, pharmacists and insurer call centres before any formal bulletin appears.

Operators should separate three questions. First, has DHA, DOH Abu Dhabi or MOHAP issued a circular that changes practice? Second, has an insurer changed network access, prior authorisation or emergency treatment handling? Third, has a supplier warned of a delay for a registered medicine, vaccine, device or cold-chain item? If the answer is no, the patient-facing script should say so in plain terms.

For insurers, the practical check is contractual rather than geopolitical. Daman and Thiqa users should check provider eligibility through the official network search or member channels. Sukoon members should confirm network pharmacy and reimbursement rules through their policy documents or the insurer portal. Clinics should avoid quoting coverage promises unless the payer has confirmed them for that member and that service date.

• COO: assign one staff member per site to monitor regulator circulars each business day during a regional incident.
• CFO: track cancelled appointments, early refill requests and unpaid emergency claims by payer for 14 days.
• CIO: make sure call-centre scripts, pharmacy systems and insurer eligibility checks use the same wording.
• Medical director: document any deviation from normal prescribing, dispensing or referral practice in the patient record.

What operators should do next

There is no verified UAE healthcare price change tied to this report. Where patients ask about medicine costs, clinics and pharmacies should quote the current pharmacy invoice price and payer co-payment shown at dispensing. If a price is uncertain, the defensible answer is to check the insurer's live eligibility tool and the pharmacy's registered product record before dispensing.

For pharmacy providers, the immediate task is a documented readiness check. Confirm emergency contacts for medicine distributors, cold-chain vendors, insurer help desks and regulator portals. In Dubai, the first regulatory reference is DHA and its Sheryan licensing environment. In Abu Dhabi, use DOH Abu Dhabi circulars and facility channels. In the northern emirates, use MOHAP services and circulars.

Patients do not need to change medicines because of this report. They do need licensed providers, clear insurance confirmation and written receipts. Operators should direct patients to verified pharmacies rather than social media listings. For licensed pharmacy providers across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates, use the UAE Open Healthcare Directory.