British military aircraft have been flying surveillance missions over Gaza to help Israel locate hostages captured by Hamas, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
The Royal Air Force has been conducting near-daily flights since October 2023, with intelligence “routinely” passed to Israeli authorities for the purpose of tracking hostages. The missions are being carried out by Shadow R1 surveillance planes, equipped with advanced sensors capable of monitoring ground movements, identifying convoys and scanning buildings in the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry of Defence said the flights are unarmed and that the UK controls what information is shared with Israel. Only intelligence directly related to hostage recovery is passed on.
“Since early December 2023, the RAF has routinely conducted unarmed surveillance flights over Gaza for the sole purpose of locating hostages,” a MoD spokesperson said. “The UK controls what information is passed to Israeli authorities and only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant authority.”
The confirmation comes amid deepening political tensions between the UK and Israel over the ongoing military campaign in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly weighing plans for a full occupation of the territory, a move that has raised alarm among Western allies and families of those still being held.
According to Israeli media, a senior official stated:
“The die has been cast. We’re going for the full conquest of the Gaza Strip, and defeating Hamas.”
Roughly 50 hostages are still believed to be in Gaza, with around 20 thought to be alive. Their families have voiced concern that a full-scale offensive could place their loved ones at further risk.
Britain has continued to provide limited military support to Israel, even as Foreign Secretary David Lammy strongly criticised recent Israeli actions, saying he was “sickened” by reports of troops firing on Palestinians at aid distribution centres.
Tensions have also been fuelled by the UK’s decision to sanction several far-right Israeli ministers and a warning that the government could support the recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations if humanitarian conditions do not improve by September.
Despite these diplomatic strains, the UK’s surveillance role has remained in place. The Shadow R1 has flown hundreds of missions over Gaza since the conflict began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale terror attack that killed 1,200 Israelis.
The aircraft’s advanced technology allows it to intercept electronic signals and monitor ground activity with high precision. However, reports suggest the Shadow R1 has since returned to the UK, and it remains unclear which aircraft have taken over its surveillance role.
A source told reports that the replacement aircraft have not been disclosed for operational security reasons.
The Ministry of Defence declined to provide further details, citing the sensitive nature of the missions.
