The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) lodged a formal complaint with Scotland Yard’s War Crimes Unit on Thursday, accusing an unnamed British-born Israeli ex-government official of serious violations of international law. The allegations point to the official’s involvement in abetting, inciting, and conspiring with the Israeli government in actions that amount to war crimes, particularly against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, as outlined in the submission.
The complaint details severe charges, including the use of starvation as a warfare method and causing significant civilian suffering or injury. These accusations are framed within the UK’s Geneva Conventions Act 1957 and the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
According to the ICJP, there is “clear and convincing evidence” that the official, who possesses dual British-Israeli citizenship, played a significant role in enforcing the blockade of essential supplies like food, water, electricity, fuel, and medical aid to Gaza. The accusation extends to the official’s alleged involvement in attacks on food sources, humanitarian aid organizations, and medical facilities, thereby intensifying civilian suffering.
The complaint is supported by testimonies from nineteen doctors who served in Gaza since October 2023, supporting the claim of starvation being used as a weapon, and documented evidence from various institutions, including UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk, Oxfam, and Human Rights Watch. The submission is part of a series of similar complaints to Scotland Yard earlier this year in January and May against UK officials for complicity in war crimes in Gaza.
This complaint follows earlier efforts such as the December 2023 challenge calling for the UK government to cease licensing weapons exports to Israel, and arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court against top Israeli officials in May 2024, as Israel’s actions in Gaza face increased international scrutiny.