War criminal next door? Over 2000 Brits served in Israel’s genocidal military

More than 2000 Brits served in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, new figures have shown. Declassified UK obtained the troubling information through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. The number is vastly greater than previously reported figures.

The investigative outlet reported that:

The data outlines the number of people with dual and multiple nationalities who were IDF service members as of March 2025.

It shows how 1,686 British-Israelis and a further 383 people with British, Israeli, and another nationality served in the IDF amid the annihilation of Gaza.

Reporting by Declassified UK suggested this was also a global issue, with recruits from across the world joining the ranks of the IDF.

They were among over 50,000 IDF soldiers with Israeli and at least one other nationality.

The largest cohorts come from the US, Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany.

The figure previously known was just 54.

Prosecutions must follow

Paul Heron, a lawyer with the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC), said prosecutions should be pursued wherever possible:

There must be no impunity where credible evidence links British nationals to grave breaches of international law.

The UK has clear duties to prevent genocide and avoid assisting unlawful military action.

He added that investigations into events in Gaza are essential for justice.

Where dual nationals have served in units implicated in atrocities, the authorities must investigate promptly and, where the evidence meets the threshold, pursue arrest and prosecution like any other serious crime.

The figures seen by Declassified UK line up with claims by one IDF soldier that thousands of Brits had served in the Israeli military:

Londoner Sam Sank fought in Gaza between December 2023 and January 2024 and later told the Times:

based on the number of his friends in the IDF, which includes a Scot in his own small unit, [he] believes there are hundreds, if not thousands, more Britons fighting in Israel.”

Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) and the Gaza-based Palestinian Centre for Human Rights submitted a war crimes dossier to the Foreign Office in 2025. The document detailed British citizens alleged involvement in alleged war crimes.

Heron said “No one is above the law”:

In our report to the Metropolitan Police, we set out credible evidence that 10 British nationals served in the Israeli Defence Forces and were involved in war crimes and acts giving rise to genocide.

War crimes unit

The British police have a war crimes investigation unit. When asked by Declassified in 2025 if they would be referring Gaza allegations for prosecutions they did not respond.

International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) told Declassified:

No one in the UK wants to live next door to a potential war criminal.

And yet, British people who fought in the IDF are allowed to return to this country and live freely amongst us, despite fighting for an army that is committing genocide.

UCJP said inaction was “inexcusable”:

It is utterly inexcusable that the UK government is failing to take action to hold citizens accountable for potential violations of international and domestic law.

The British government and judiciary need to move on IDF war crimes allegations—and move fast. British citizens taking part in Israel war crimes should be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Both as a matter of principle and as a matter of pubic safety.

You can read the full Declassified UK report here.

Featured image via the Canary