UK to start Gaza surveillance flights to locate captives
Dec 04, 2023
London [UK], December 4: The UK's military will conduct surveillance flights over Gaza to help locate captives held by Hamas, according to the British Ministry of Defence, joining the US in backing Israel.
Hamas fighters seized about 240 Israelis and foreign captives during their October 7 attack, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel says 110 have since been freed - 86 Israelis and 24 foreigners - in exchange for some 240 Palestinian prisoners, mainly during a recent weeklong truce that ended on Friday.
The UK has said at least 12 British nationals were killed in the October 7 attacks - in which Israeli officials say about 1,200 people died, mostly civilians - and that a further five are still missing.
London has not confirmed how many of its citizens are being held by Hamas.
Britain did not reveal when its military surveillance flights over the territory would start but stressed they would be unarmed and focused only on the captive recovery efforts.
Source: Qatar Tribune
