Exclusive: The Metropolitan Police has reversed its decision to close a war crimes probe into UK nationals who fought in Gaza.
The Metropolitan Police Service has reversed its decision to close a war crimes probe into UK nationals who fought for Israel amid the Gaza genocide, it can be revealed.
The 240-page referral was first submitted by the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) in August 2025.
It alleged that ten UK nationals – including dual citizens – had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity while fighting for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in Gaza.
Allegations against those soldiers included international crimes such as “wilful killing, extermination, attacking civilians, and deportation or forcible transfer of populationâ€.
The Met initially responded by narrowing its focus to four identifiable British nationals before informing the claimants in April 2026 that it would not pursue any criminal investigation.
It said that an effective investigation could not be conducted, nor was there a realistic prospect of convictions.
But in correspondence with PILC last week, the Met announced the reversal of its position and said “a fresh scoping exercise†in relation to the four UK nationals will now take place.
Scoping exercises are undertaken by the Met's war crimes team – which is housed within Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) – to decide whether to conduct a full investigation.
The move comes after British-Palestinian human rights campaigner Lubna Speitan, who is represented by PILC, threatened judicial review proceedings against the Met.
In a pre-action letter, PILC said the Met had wrongly applied its own policy and failed to take into account relevant considerations such as the full range of evidential pathways available for an investigation.
Human rights lawyer Michael Mansfield KC, who supported the initial referral, said: “Allegations of war crimes must be investigated irrespective of the nationality of those accused or the political sensitivities surrounding the conflict.
“The Metropolitan Police's decision to revisit its earlier conclusion is therefore to be welcomed. It provides an opportunity for a fresh and independent assessment based upon all available evidence. That is precisely what justice requiresâ€.
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Brits in the IDF
Earlier this year, Declassified revealed how over 2,000 Britons have served in Israel's military during the Gaza genocide.
Data obtained via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request showed that 1,686 British-Israelis as well as 383 people with British, Israeli, and another nationality have served in the IDF since October 2023.
That FOI request was issued in Israel because the UK government does not collect data on the number of Britons who have been fighting for Israel.
Over 26,000 people signed a recent letter calling for the UK government to track the movements of Britons who have served in the IDF and conduct independent war crimes investigations.
That letter was also signed by over 70 prominent figures including Green party leader Zack Polanski, genocide scholar Martin Shaw, and anti-apartheid politician Andrew Feinstein.
Last month, UN human rights expert and lawyer Chris Sidoti declared: “Anyone who has served in the IDF in Gaza since October 2023 must be considered a suspect for the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of genocideâ€.
‘Important and responsible step'
In correspondence with PILC earlier this month, the Met's war crimes team noted that “many international bodies involved in International Humanitarian Law are of the view that actions occurring in Gaza could amount to War Crimesâ€.
PILC and PCHR have now invited SO15 “to participate in a joint evidence development process aimed at identifying further witnesses, digital evidence, expert material and other investigative opportunities capable of assisting the fresh assessmentâ€.
The groups noted how potential lines of investigation might include “enquiries with the UK intelligence services, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or the RAF for surveillance imageryâ€.
PILC solicitor Paul Heron said: “We welcome the Metropolitan police's withdrawal of its previous decision and to undertake a fresh scoping exercise. This is an important and responsible step which recognises that the earlier decision should no longer stand.
“These allegations concern some of the gravest crimes known to international law. Where there are identifiable British nationals alleged to have participated in such crimes, it is essential that investigative decisions are taken on the fullest evidential basis possibleâ€.
