The United Kingdom will conduct surveillance flights over Israel and Gaza to help search for hostages held by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, the British Ministry of Defense announced.
• Also read: Update on the conflict between Israel and Hamas
“Since the terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, the British government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of the kidnapped hostages, including British nationals,” the ministry wrote in a statement released on Saturday evening.
“The safety of British nationals is our top priority,” he added.
“To support hostage rescue operations, the UK Ministry of Defense will conduct surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including airspace over Israel and Gaza,” the ministry statement said.
These aircraft “will not be armed” and “will not play a combat role,” he specifies. Your only task will be to locate the hostages. “Only information related to the release of hostages will be transmitted to the authorities responsible for the release of hostages.”
About 240 people were kidnapped and then taken to the Gaza Strip on October 7 during Hamas’s unprecedented deadly attack in southern Israel.
A seven-day ceasefire allowed the release of around a hundred hostages held by Hamas and 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
However, according to Israeli authorities, nearly 140 people are still detained in the Gaza Strip.
Fighting resumed in Palestinian territory on Friday.
In retaliation for the Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians according to Israeli authorities, Israel launched a massive bombing campaign on Gaza, followed by a ground operation.
According to Hamas, which took power in Gaza in 2007, Israeli operations have claimed more than 15,000 lives, mostly civilians.
London has not said how many Britons are being held hostage.
After October 7, Downing Street said at least 12 British nationals had been killed in the attack and five others were missing.