The UK’s military will conduct surveillance flights over Gaza to help locate captives held by Hamas, according to the British Ministry of Defence, joining the US in backing Israel in its war against the Palestinian armed group.
Hamas fighters seized about 240 Israelis and foreign captives during their October 7 attack, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel says 110 have since been freed – 86 Israelis and 24 foreigners – in exchange for some 240 Palestinian prisoners, mainly during a recent weeklong truce that ended on Friday.
Israel’s military said on Friday it had resumed bombardment of the besieged Palestinian territory. It blamed Hamas for the end of the truce that brought respite to people in Gaza from weeks of devastating bombing.
The resumption of combat has frustrated hopes for the swift release of the about 130 captives the Israeli army has said are still being held in Gaza.
The UK has said at least 12 British nationals were killed in the October 7 attacks – in which Israeli officials say about 1,200 people died, mostly civilians – and that a further five are still missing.
London has not confirmed how many of its citizens are being held by Hamas.
Israel responded to the October 7 attack by vowing to eliminate the Hamas group and its subsequent relentless air and ground campaign has killed more than 15,000 people, also mostly civilians, according to the authorities in Gaza.
Hamas has stated that it will continue negotiations on the release of further captives only after the end of the Gaza war, while Israel withdrew from the talks mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
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