The UK has stated that it is willing to give intelligence gathered during surveillance flights over Gaza, if requested, to the International Criminal Court.
The ICC has already begun an investigation into alleged crimes of war committed by Israel and Hamas.
Since last December, the Royal Air Force (RAF), reportedly using Shadow R1 spy aircraft based in nearby Cyprus, has conducted hundreds of surveillance flights above Gaza.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD), said that these flights were conducted to gather intelligence about the hostages taken by Hamas in October last year.
It has also said it is willing and able to share intelligence relating war crimes with ICC.
The MoD has denied that it provides Israel with wider targeting information or that RAF aircraft were used to fly weapons to Israel during its war on Gaza.
The MoD issued a statement in which it said: “In accordance with our international obligations we would consider any formal requests from the International Criminal Court for information relating investigations into war crimes.
“The UK does not take part in the conflict between Israel’s and Hamas’s.
“Our mandate is a narrowly defined one that focuses on securing only the release of hostages, including British citizens, with the RAF regularly conducting unarmed flight since December 2023 to this sole purpose.”
There has not yet been a formal request from ICC.
In May, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan stated that there were reasonable grounds for believing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence minister Yoav Galant, and Hamas Leaders Yahiya Sinwar Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh were criminally responsible for war crimes and crimes committed against humanity since the day Hamas attacked Israel on 7th October.
Deif, Haniyeh, and Sinwar were all killed in recent weeks. Any request for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant still needs to be approved by ICC Judges.
After the UK general elections, the new Labour government has lifted its opposition to the ICC being able to seek an arrest warrant against Netanyahu. Mr Khan told BBC that he welcomed this change in policy.
In recent months, the British government has also limited UK arms sales to Israel. It has also refunded UN agency that helps Palestinians.
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