A petition demanding an independent public inquiry into Britain’s involvement in Israel’s military operations in Gaza has surpassed 100,000 signatures, meaning it must now be considered for a debate in Parliament.
The petition, launched on October 23 by Jennifer Forbes, chair of Your Party, calls for an investigation into Britain’s military, political and intelligence cooperation with Israel since October 2023.
It demands answers about British arms exports to Israel, RAF surveillance flights over Gaza, the use of British military bases and legal advice given to government ministers.
The petition passed 100,000 signatures on November 9, just over two weeks after its launch.
However, reaching this threshold does not guarantee a parliamentary debate or force the government to establish an inquiry but does necessitate a formal written response.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has backed the petition, arguing that the British public deserves to know the extent of the government’s involvement in Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Corbyn, who has repeatedly called for an independent investigation, has questioned whether British intelligence and military assistance contributed to Israeli operations. He previously attempted to introduce legislation calling for a judge-led inquiry, but the proposal was blocked by the government.
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The UK has faced growing criticism over its continued military cooperation with Israel throughout the war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated much of the territory.
Despite suspending just 30 arms export licences to Israel in September 2024, an exemption remained for British-made components supplied through the international F-35 fighter jet programme. These aircraft have been used by Israel during its bombing campaign in Gaza, raising concerns about the role of British-made equipment.
The UK has also conducted hundreds of surveillance flights over Gaza and shared intelligence with Israel. British officials maintain that these operations were intended to help locate captives held in Gaza, while campaigners are demanding transparency over how the intelligence was used.
The petition follows an independent Gaza Tribunal co-chaired by Corbyn in 2025, which heard evidence from medical professionals, journalists, academics and human rights experts. The tribunal concluded that Britain had failed to fulfil its obligation to prevent genocide and alleged that British authorities were complicit in serious crimes committed against Palestinians.
Its findings were not legally binding, but it called for an official investigation into Britain’s involvement in Gaza.
The petition remains open until April 23, 2027, allowing members of the public to continue demanding answers about Britain’s role in Israel’s war on Gaza.
