London police refuse to investigate British nationals accused of war crimes in Gaza
London's Metropolitan Police will not investigate ten British nationals accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity while fighting with the Israeli military in Gaza.
The decision comes after the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) filed a 240-page dossier with the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Team in April last year.
The PILC said the report detailed the alleged involvement of the ten British nationals, including dual citizens, in the “targeted killings of civilians and aid workers, indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, attacks on hospitals and protected sites, and the forced transfer and displacement of civilians”.
The referral was accompanied by a letter of support signed by over 70 legal and human rights experts, urging the Met’s War Crimes unit to investigate all complaints regarding involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
But on 27 April, the police said in a decision letter that it would not progress the matter, saying there was no realistic prospect of conviction and that an effective investigation could not be conducted.
Read more: London police refuse to investigate British nationals accused of war crimes in Gaza