By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The UK government has confirmed conducting surveillance flights over Gaza to locate hostages held in the besieged enclave.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has confirmed that his government conducted “surveillance flights” over Gaza in an attempt to locate the Israeli detainees held in the besieged enclave.

“We have left no stone unturned in our efforts to get the hostages home,” Lammy wrote in a letter published by the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday. The written response from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) signed by Lammy was part of the committee’s “inquiry into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” it said.

“My question to the Foreign Secretary is this: if our current approach continues to fail, what is the plan B?” – Dame Emily Thornberry.

We have published letters from @FCDOGovUK and UNRWA as part of our inquiry into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

— Foreign Affairs Committee (@CommonsForeign) January 14, 2025

“The Ministry of Defence conducts surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in airspace over Israel and Gaza,” Lammy stated. “These surveillance aircraft are unarmed and do not have a combat role. They are tasked solely to locate hostages”.

Detainees with UK Links

He added that the FCDO “cannot, for reasons with you will be familiar, share everything that the Government is doing, but my officials ensure that the hostage families in particular know as much as possible.”

Today in Israel I met with @DamariMandy and the families of the hostages with strong UK-links.

This Government is using every diplomatic lever, and leaving no stone unturned, in our efforts to bring Emily and her fellow hostages home.

All the hostages must be released now. pic.twitter.com/ouTiFuCkK7

— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) January 13, 2025

Lammy said the Office was prioritizing the release of dual Israeli-British national Emily Damari and three detainees with strong UK-links, Eli Sharabi, Oded Lifschitz and Avinatan Or and has “in recent weeks…spoken to the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, ensuring that Emily’s release, and the release of the UK-linked hostages, is at the top of their agenda”.

He also expected to announce plans to appoint an envoy for “arbitrary detention and kidnaps.”

Israel’s Compliance with IHL

In another letter to the Foreign Affairs Committee, Lammy said it was a priority of the UK government to secure a resolution to the “Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” adding that it has “used every diplomatic channel available to us, both publicly and privately, to press for an immediate ceasefire and release of all hostages.”

He said the UK was “committed to upholding international law,” and on September 2, suspended a number of export licences to the Israeli army “for items in relation to which we had concluded that there was a clear risk they might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL in the conflict in Gaza.”

‘Complicit in War Crimes’ – British Official Resigns over UK’s Arms Sales to Israel

Lammy noted that in “the incidents considered to date, it has not been possible to make an assessment of Israel’s compliance with the principle of proportionality”.

“This is in part due to the opaque and contested information environment in Gaza and the challenges of accessing the specific and sensitive information necessary from Israel in relation to each incident, such as intended targets, anticipated military advantage and anticipated civilian harm”.

The foreign secretary said the UK continues “to impress on Israel the need to ensure civilians are protected.”

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 46,707 Palestinians have been killed, and 110,265 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

‘Stop Supply of F-35 Parts’ – Corbyn

On Monday, British MP and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has called on London to stop supplying spare parts for F-35 jets to Israel.

“So I’ve asked the government to stop supplying the parts for F-35 Jets. They’re trying to claim they cannot single out Israel to not supply those parts to. I think they’re wrong,” Corbyn said in a video.

‘No Complicity’ – Corbyn Calls for Halt to UK Supply of F-35 Jet Parts to Israel

“I’ve raised this in Parliament, I’ve written subsequently to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and I’ll carry on making that demand,” he continued.

A high-ranking British official resigned last August from the FCDO over Britain’s potential complicity in war crimes in Gaza and continued arms sales to Israel.

Mark Smith, head of the Africa Programs and Expertise Department FCDO submitted a resignation letter titled “FCDO complicity in War Crimes” in which he expressed his regret to resign following years of service, stating he was left with no choice.

(The Palestine Chronicle)