Starmer’s spy flights over Gaza risk complicity in Israeli torture

Israel’s torture of Palestinian prisoners should have serious consequences for UK intelligence cooperation with Tel Aviv, human rights groups have warned. FULL STORY It comes as Keir Starmer suspended some arms exports to Israel last week, which the government said was partly due to “credible claims of the mistreatment of detainees”. However Royal Air Force (RAF) surveillance flights continue almost daily over Gaza to help Israel locate hostages held by Hamas. Campaigners fear the flight paths may be informed by intelligence Israel obtained through torture. Declassified has seen testimony from three Palestinian civilians who allege Israeli troops interrogated them about the location of hostages and tunnels while under extreme torture. Sharing such intelligence with Britain would breach rules designed to prevent a repeat of the extraordinary rendition scandal, which saw MI6 collude with CIA abuses after 9/11. Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe is a lawyer at the Global Legal Action Network. She also represents Palestinian rights group Al-Haq in its lawsuit to stop UK arms exports to Israel. She told Declassified: “In our view it is possible, if not probable, that information and assurances Israel gives to the UK are founded on information derived from torture”. Freedom from Torture, a British medical charity, also expressed concern, commenting: “The UK must take all steps in its power to ensure that it does not take receipt of or make use of intelligence provided by any authorities where there is a real risk that it has been obtained by torture or other ill-treatment.” When contacted by Declassified, Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) avoided our questions about whether RAF surveillance of Gaza was informed by Israeli intelligence that may have been derived from torture. A government spokesperson would only say: “Our focus remains on securing an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, a rapid increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, and compliance with international humanitarian law.” Israel’s Ministry of Defence said it was unable to comment when asked about intelligence sharing with the RAF.