UK MoD holds crucial footage of Gaza massacre, refuses to release

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Declassified UK + Al Mayadeen English
23 Jul 2024 15:54
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The UK Ministry of Defense holds video surveillance footage from a Royal Air Force flight over Gaza on April 1, the day "Israel" killed seven international aid workers, including three British veterans.

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Palestinians inspect a vehicle with the logo of the World Central Kitchen wrecked by an Israeli occupation airstrike in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, Palestine, on April 2, 2024. (AP)

The UK Ministry of Defense possesses video surveillance footage of Gaza from the day "Israel" killed seven international aid workers in a massacre but is refusing to release it according to Declassified UK.

The footage, captured by a Royal Air Force (RAF) surveillance plane had documented approximately five hours over Gaza on April 1, when seven people working for the World Central Kitchen convoy were killed by "Israel", including three British military veterans: John Chapman, James Kirby, and James ‘Jim’ Henderson.

The RAF surveillance plane seemingly returned to its base in Cyprus just minutes before the airstrikes were launched.

As a result, the RAF may have recorded footage of the events leading up to the massacre, which could shed light on the Israeli occupation's claims by either proving or disproving whether or not "Hamas gunmen" were near the convoy, Declassified argued.

People have a right to know

Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen, criticized "Israel’s" investigation into the incident, in which two senior officers were dismissed for what was described as a "grave mistake," Declassified UK wrote in their report.

Citing an interview with ABC, the report noted that Andres stated that "the investigation should be much more deeper…we need more information. We need to see better quality videos."

Moreover, according to Declassified UK, London is unlikely to become the source of this crucial footage, despite having reportedly conducted over 200 surveillance flights over Gaza to aid "Israel".

The UK military acknowledged, in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Declassified UK, that it holds "video footage of Gaza from the Shadow R1 [surveillance] flight on 1 April."

However, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has refused to release the tape, citing security reasons, and suggesting that its contents might involve UK special forces or MI6. Declassified plans to appeal the FOI decision and has shared this information with some relatives of the deceased aid workers.

"This footage should not be kept hidden from our family," said Jim Henderson’s father Neil speaking to Declassified, adding that "the UK government must urgently disclose any evidence it holds" which might "shed light on why James was wrongly targeted by Israel".

Similarly, Forz Khan, the Henderson family’s lawyer, told Declassified that he is “writing to the new Labour government to demand answers on whether UK military and intelligence assistance to Israel has been used in attacks on British citizens in Gaza”.

British spy squad: Covert force complicit in Israeli strikes on Gaza

A high-ranking Israeli official disclosed that a British spy team had been stationed in "Israel" since the start of its aggression on Gaza in October, Declassified UK reported back in June, citing a recent leak to The New York Times.

This new information was reported in an NYT article also published in June, which covered an Israeli operation to retrieve four captives during a raid that also resulted in the killings of hundreds of Palestinians.

"Israel" is currently under investigation for genocide at the World Court, while the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant.

As more details emerge about the UK's role in the Israeli war on Gaza, British ministers could face legal repercussions, the report stressed.

The New York Times article emphasized that “intelligence collection and analysis teams from the United States and Britain have been in Israel throughout the war."

It went on to say that the British personnel were “assisting Israeli intelligence in collecting and analyzing information related to the hostages, some of them citizens of both countries."

Declassified previously uncovered that the RAF has conducted over 200 surveillance missions over Gaza from Cyprus since December, with at least one aircraft landing in "Israel".

However, this is the first time it has been confirmed that British intelligence officers have been deployed within "Israel" to support its aggression on Gaza.

The Israeli official noted that Britain has been able to supply aerial and cyber intelligence that "Israel" is unable to gather independently, as per the report.