British spy planes aid Israel in Gaza hostage search

British spy planes have been assisting Israel in locating hostages held in Gaza, despite rising tensions between the UK and Israel over the conflict in the region.

Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, the Royal Air Force (RAF) has routinely flown surveillance missions over Gaza, sharing intelligence with Israeli forces to help track missing hostages, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that hundreds of such missions have been carried out by the RAF’s Shadow R1 reconnaissance aircraft, including flights as recently as last month.

The Shadow R1 is equipped with advanced electronic sensors that gather detailed data on movements and positions within Gaza, enabling the identification of vehicle convoys, residential buildings, and individual activity. While an RAF source said that the Shadow R1 has since returned to the UK, it remains unclear which aircraft have taken over the intelligence-gathering role.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman stated: “Since early December 2023, the RAF has routinely conducted unarmed surveillance flights over Gaza for the sole purpose of locating hostages. The UK controls what information is passed to Israeli authorities, and only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant authority. We do not comment on operational details for security reasons.”

The intelligence support continues amid escalating political friction, with Britain condemning aspects of Israel’s military actions. Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed being “sickened” by reports of Israeli troops firing on Palestinians at aid distribution centres.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly planning a full-scale occupation of the Gaza Strip. A senior Israeli official told Hebrew media: “The die has been cast. We’re going for the full conquest of the Gaza Strip – and defeating Hamas.”

Approximately 20 of the estimated 50 hostages remaining in Gaza are believed to be alive, but families fear that a full military takeover could endanger their loved ones. Pressure is mounting on Israel from international allies, including the UK, to de-escalate its campaign and address the worsening humanitarian crisis.

Despite deteriorating UK-Israel relations — including sanctions on several hard-Right Israeli ministers and the UK’s threat to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations — British military support in intelligence sharing over Gaza continues.

By Aghakazim Guliyev