Keir Starmer’s 100 spy flights over Gaza for Israel | Matt Kennard investigates

Britain’s Labour government has ordered 100 spy flights over Gaza to aid Israeli intelligence, it can be revealed. This amounts to an average of more than one a day since Keir Starmer became prime minister on July 5. Starmer’s administration suspended 30 arms export licences for Israel last month, citing “a clear risk” the weapons might be used in a “serious violation” of international law. But the spy flights, which began in December under the previous Conservative government, have continued apace. Although the Ministry of Defence (MoD) refused to give details, Declassified independently found the flights departing from Akrotiri – Britain’s sprawling air base on Cyprus – to fly over Gaza on Starmer’s watch. During Labour’s first full month in office, in August, the Royal Air Force (RAF) flew 42 flights over the devastated Palestinian territory. The new information is likely to raise further concerns about British complicity in war crimes in Gaza, with pro-Palestine activists protesting outside Akrotiri on Sunday. International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan has requested arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister Yoav Gallant. The World Court is also investigating Israel for what it has called a “plausible” genocide in Gaza. Read more: