UK supports Israel in search for Gaza hostages - The Telegraph explains
Reconnaissance is being carried out using military aircraft (Photo: Getty Images)
British military aircraft are flying over the Gaza Strip to help Israel locate missing hostages, according to The Telegraph.
The UK Ministry of Defence stated that intelligence gathered by Royal Air Force planes is regularly passed on to the Israelis, who use the information exclusively to track the captured hostages.
The Telegraph also reported that these flights take place almost daily.
“The UK controls what information is passed to Israeli authorities and only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant authority. We do not comment on operational detail for security reasons,” a source said.
According to The Telegraph, the Shadow R1 aircraft is equipped with electronic sensors that collect data on the ground in the Gaza Strip. It identifies vehicles, residential buildings and can zoom in on images of individuals moving within Gaza.
However, a Royal Air Force source told The Times that the Shadow R1 aircraft has since returned to the UK. It remains unclear which aircraft have taken over intelligence gathering duties.
It is also noted that since the start of the war in October 2023, including last month, Shadow R1 reconnaissance planes have conducted hundreds of sorties over Gaza.
“Since early December 2023, the RAF has routinely conducted unarmed surveillance flights over Gaza for the sole purpose of locating hostages,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson told The Telegraph.
It is estimated that around 20 of the 50 hostages still held in Gaza are alive. Their families fear that plans to capture the area could put their loved ones at risk.
Occupation of the Gaza Strip
News about the UK reconnaissance aircraft emerged as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was considering plans for a full occupation of the Palestinian territory.
An Israeli official said that the die was cast and that they aimed for the complete takeover of the Gaza Strip and the destruction of Hamas.
Intelligence efforts to locate hostages continue despite Britain condemning Israel’s actions.
Furthermore, it is believed that Israel’s allies are also opposing Netanyahu’s plans, with increasing pressure being placed on the country to end the military campaign and ease the resulting humanitarian crisis.
Recently, Netanyahu responded to videos showing exhausted hostages. He stated that Hamas does not want a deal and declared his determination to destroy the group.
