Open joint letter to UK Government calling for an independent public inquiry on Gaza

London, 4th July 2025– We, the undersigned organisations, strongly urge the UK Government to support and establish an independent public inquiry into the UK’s involvement in Israeli military operations in Gaza since October 2023.

In light of reports of atrocities committed by the Israeli government in Gaza and reports of the UK’s collaboration with Israeli military operations, it is increasingly urgent to confirm whether the UK has contributed to any violations of international humanitarian law through economic or political cooperation with the Israeli government since October 2023, including the sale, supply or use of weapons, surveillance aircraft and Royal Air Force bases.

While the Israeli government’s military assault on Gaza is currently ongoing, establishing an independent public inquiry would provide an evidence-based determination on whether the UK’s policies and operations uphold international law. The outcome will be able to inform the UK’s foreign and defence policy related to Gaza, the Israeli military and other conflicts. Holding an independent public inquiry at this stage has precedent: the Iraq Inquiry was announced and hearings had concluded before the full withdrawal of British troops from Iraq.

As organisations dedicated to human rights, we believe that the establishment of an independent public inquiry aligns with the core humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. The UK has committed to uphold and promote these principles and therefore must support an independent public inquiry on the UK’s involvement in Israeli military operations in Gaza. The government has stated that its primary responsibility is the security of its citizens, and an independent public inquiry will be able to ascertain if the UK’s policy has achieved this.

Signatories:

• ActionAid UK
• Action For Humanity
• Amnesty International UK
• Amos Trust
• British Palestinian Committee
• Campaign Against Arms Trade
• The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
• Centre for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls
• Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu)
• European Legal Support Centre
• Health Workers 4 Palestine
• Human Rights Watch
• International Centre of Justice for Palestinians
• Muslim Aid
• Oxfam GB
• Palestine Solidarity Campaign
• Palestinian Youth Movement
• Sabeel-Kairos UK
• SCIAF
• Stop the War Coalition
• War on Want
• Workers for a Free Palestine