Declassified UK Uncovers UK 60 Flights to 'Israel' During War on Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English

29 May 2024 20:04

The purpose of these flights remains unclear, though the MoD stated they were allegedly used for diplomatic engagements with "Israel," without providing specifics.

An investigation conducted by Declassified UK revealed on Wednesday that since the start of the war on Gaza, the UK's military has conducted 60 flights to "Israel."

The report notes that these flights primarily departed from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and their majority occurred within the first four months of the genocide.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed 48 flights between October 2023 and February 2024, with an additional 11 flights until early May. There were no recorded flights to "Israel" from RAF Akrotiri in the six months preceding October 7.

The purpose of these flights remains unclear, though the MoD claimed they were used for diplomatic engagements with "Israel," without providing specifics.

The lack of transparency has garnered attention, especially since the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant.

When pressed for details on cargo and personnel transported, the MoD's responses were evasive.

The MoD responses mentioned transporting officials, UK Armed Forces personnel, and medical supplies but refused to elaborate on the nature of "defense engagement" or provide specific numbers of military personnel transported.

This lack of transparency contrasts with past revelations of the UK's deployment of 500 extra troops to Cyprus following the onset of the war on Gaza.

The MoD further declined to disclose the origins of its flights to "Israel", but independent verification has revealed that 36 military transport vehicles departed from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to Tel Aviv.

Among these were six C-17A Globemaster III aircraft and 30 A400M Atlas C1 planes.

The C-17 can transport personnel and various military equipment, while the A400M can carry fully-equipped troops and equipment, including helicopters.

This suggests that the UK military might have transported up to 4,300 personnel to "Israel" from RAF Akrotiri alone.

Speculation arises regarding the potential involvement of British special forces, particularly the Special Air Service (SAS), which allegedly stood by in Cyprus for operations related to rescuing British captives held in Gaza or aiding Britons trapped in Gaza.

However, the UK military's "D-Notice" committee, responsible for preventing the publication of information deemed harmful to national security, requested media editors not to disclose any details about SAS operations in Gaza.

The MoD stressed that no RAF flights to "Israel" transported arms, reiterating their purpose as supporting the UK's diplomatic engagement and assisting in the departure of British nationals.

Moreover, the UK conducted 11 airdrops over northern Gaza, delivering over 100 tonnes of essential aid for Palestinians, indicating a means of covering British complicity in Israeli war crimes.