London: Met Police to Decide Actions After Report Accuses 10 Britons of War Crimes in Gaza During Israel’s Genocide

London (Quds Newd Network)- The Metropolitan Police is reportedly determining what action to take after receiving a report accusing ten British nationals of war crimes and crimes against humanity while serving in Israel’s military during the Gaza genocide.

The 240-page report “will now be assessed by specialist officers to determine whether any UK-based investigation may be required”, a Counter Terrorism Policing spokesperson said.

A team of legal experts, including prominent human rights lawyer Michael Mansfield, submitted the report with the Met’s war crimes team on behalf of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC).

A summary of the dossier accused the Britons of being involved in the forced displacement of civilians and coordinated attacks on protected sites.

The report said the offences took place between October 2023 and May 2024. It has been prepared by a team of UK lawyers and researchers in the Hague and is based on six months of research.

The 10 British nationals have not been named publicly. They are accused of “indiscriminate attacks” on civilian areas, including hospitals, and the “targeted killing” of civilians and aid workers.

Some served at officer level in the Israeli military, according to the summary of the report, and some were Israeli dual nationals.

The Met has received around 180 referrals relating to the war in Gaza since the Israeli assault began.

“At this time, there is no UK-based investigation into any matters relating to this particular conflict,” a statement from the force added.

“In the last 18 months we have witnessed international crimes unfold. Our leaders have done little if anything to prevent the suffering of millions of innocent Palestinians,” Mansfield said.

“We ask the War Crimes Team to take this report seriously, investigate and, if proven, arrest and try the individuals named.

“British nationals are under a legal obligation not to collude with crimes committed in Palestine. No one is above the law.”

Testimony collected by PCHR includes one account from a Palestinian witness whose relatives were killed in an Israeli attack.

“I could not bear what I saw: dead bodies scattered next to each other,” they said.

“I could not recognise them as they were covered with a blanket… I took off the cover and saw the bodies of my uncle and his son, my nephews, and my brother-in-law along with other displaced people’s bodies.”

Green Party MP Ellie Chowns, responding to news of the complaint, called on the British government to “set out how it will hold any UK nationals implicated in war crimes in Palestine to account”.

PILC legal director Paul Heron said: “Shockingly, British citizens have actively served in Israel’s armed forces, directly contributing to atrocities.”

“As a law centre based in Britain, we have a duty to stand up. We’re filing our report to make clear these war crimes are not in our name.”

The Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has sought to initiate nearly 100 cases against Israeli soldiers over war crimes in Gaza in 14 countries with universal jurisdiction: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden and Thailand.

In January, the Israeli military advised dozens of soldiers against travelling abroad after reportedly tracking around 30 war crimes complaints and legal actions targeting its personnel for Gaza war crimes.