By Lily Zhou, EPOCH TIMES 3 Dec 2023
An Israeli drone flies over the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Nov. 16, 2023 (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)
The UK will send unarmed surveillance flights to the Middle East to help find remaining hostages held by the Hamas terrorist group, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Saturday.
Some hostages taken by Hamas were released during a week-long truce in exchange for prisoners, but more than 130 people remain in captivity as fighting resumed on Friday morning.
The MoD said it would conduct flights to help locate the hostages.
“Since the terrorist attacks against Israel of 7 October 2023, the UK government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals, who have been kidnapped. The safety of British nationals is our utmost priority,” the MoD said in a statement.
“In support of the ongoing hostage rescue activity, the UK Ministry of Defence will conduct surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in air space over Israel and Gaza.
“Surveillance aircraft will be unarmed, do not have a combat role, and will be tasked solely to locate hostages. Only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant authorities responsible for hostage rescue,” the statement reads.
@JvA, I agree too. Especially because it seems they want to inform “relevant authorities” about their findings. I wonder who these relevant authorities could be, how can they operate in a war zone, will they do their best to get in the IDF’s way, who will rescue them when they get into trouble or hurt, and so on?
Very fishy! And with their past endeavors, why would the Israelis consider trusting them?
@JvA
I totally agree.
What’s the purpose of UK surveillance aircrafts over Israeli air space, surely not to locate hostages. This story sounds fishy to say the least. And notice how the author emphasizes the aircrafts are unarmed. I am not buying it.