From the Guardian · · 2m
Inquest may call Israeli and UK military chiefs over Gaza aid workers
Families of three British aid workers killed in a Gaza airstrike want the inquest to examine Israeli and UK military involvement and whether British-made weapons were used.
In brief
Families of three British aid workers killed in a Gaza airstrike want the inquest to examine Israeli and UK military involvement and whether British-made weapons were used. An inquest into three British aid workers killed in Gaza will likely expand to examine Israeli military actions, UK military surveillance, and…
Three British aid workers killed in Gaza
John Chapman, fifty-seven, Jim Henderson, thirty-three, and James Kirby, forty-seven, were killed when their aid convoy was hit by an Israeli airstrike in April two thousand twenty-four.
Inquest scope may widen significantly
The inquest has focused on the aid organisation and security firm involved. Now the coroner may expand it to examine the role of Israeli authorities and whether British-made weapons were used.
Israeli military designated as interested party
Senior coroner Maria Voisin indicated she was minded to designate the Israel Defense Forces and colonel Nochi Mendel, who ordered the strikes, as interested parties to the inquest.
Israel refuses criminal investigation
Israeli military authorities said they would not open criminal investigations into the strike. The UK, Australian and Canadian governments called the decision shameful. The strike also killed workers from Australia, Poland, Palestine and the US.
RAF surveillance plane over Gaza that day
A Royal Air Force surveillance plane spent about five hours above Gaza on the day of the attack, returning to base minutes before the airstrikes were launched. Families want to know what surveillance it gathered and what was shared with Israel.
Families seek answers on British weapons
Lawyer Pete Weatherby told the review hearing it was a matter of public concern and great importance to the family to find out if the weaponry that killed the men was made in the UK.
“a matter of public concern and great importance to the family to find out if the weaponry that killed the men was made in the UK”
Coroner keeps scope under review
Coroner Voisin said she was open minded about which issues the inquest would consider. It's very much a case of throwing the net wide at the moment, she said.
“It's very much a case of throwing the net wide at the moment”
Next review hearing set for March
A further pre-inquest review will take place in March. No date for the final hearing has been set. Inquiries will be made of the UK Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence and Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems.
The main idea
An inquest into three British aid workers killed in Gaza will likely expand to examine Israeli military actions, UK military surveillance, and whether British-made weapons were involved.
