The Metropolitan Police has reversed its decision to close a war crimes case involving four UK nationals accused of committing international crimes while serving with the Israeli military in Gaza, according to an exclusive report published this morning by Declassified UK.
The original 240-page complaint, submitted by the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), alleges that 10 British or dual nationals committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the wilful killing of civilians, attacks on civilians and forcible population transfer.
The Met had previously concluded there was no realistic prospect of a prosecution, but has now announced a fresh assessment following the threat of judicial review by British-Palestinian campaigner Lubna Speitan.
Human rights groups welcomed the move, saying that allegations of war crimes must be investigated regardless of political sensitivities. The decision comes amid growing scrutiny of Britons serving in the Israeli military, with previous reporting estimating that more than 2,000 UK nationals have served in the Israeli armed forces since October 2023.
