POLICE are assessing claims that UK Government ministers may have committed war crimes with their rhetoric over Israel and Gaza.

The Metropolitan Police action – which is not yet a full investigation – comes after the force was handed “hard drives and evidence dossiers” by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) at a meeting last week.

The London-based group also alleged that nine private UK citizens who are claimed to be fighting with the Israeli military may be guilty of war crimes.

Four UK Government officials are named in the evidence dossiers, ICJP director Tayab Ali said.

The names have to remain confidential for legal reasons.

The ICJP submission came after the Met Police put up posters at major UK airports appealing for anyone who has witnessed war crimes, terrorism or crimes against humanity in Gaza and Israel to contact the force.

The ICJP made clear they had gotten in touch with Scotland Yard’s War Crimes Unit (SO15) in “response to the Metropolitan Police’s request for evidence of war crimes in Israel and Gaza”.

Ali, who is the head of international law at the Bindmans LLP legal firm as well as his ICJP role, said: “True to our word we have taken the first step in holding those alleged to support war crimes in the UK to account.

“We have referred a complaint to Scotland Yard. The complaint names nine UK citizens who are allegedly fighting with the IDF and four UK government officials.”

The ICJP said their submission to SO15 includes “eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence of crimes”, including “photographic evidence that supports the allegation of the use of white phosphorous by the Israeli Defense Forces against civilians in Gaza, contrary to international law”.

A Met spokesperson said: “The information within the referral will now be assessed by specialist officers as part of a scoping exercise to determine whether any further action or formal investigation will be carried out.

“At this time, there is no UK-based investigation into this matter, or any other matters relating to this particular conflict.

“We remain focussed on supporting victims and witnesses who report core international crimes, as well as supporting the UK families of those directly affected by the terrorist attacks in Israel on 7 October last year.”

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On Sunday, ICJP director Ali shared a clip of Foreign Secretary David Cameron speaking to Sky News in the wake of the International Court of Justice genocide case brought against Israel by South Africa.

Cameron said the “South African action is wrong, I think it is unhelpful and I think it shouldn't be happening”, adding: “To say that [Israel] have the intent to commit genocide is nonsense"

Responding, Ali wrote: “In international law supporting war crimes is not protected by political status. In fact the Rome Statute has provision for those complicit in war crimes under Article 25.

“I am not surprised British politicians are afraid of international courts being asked to determine if war crimes have occurred.”

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In October last year, the ICJP issued leading Labour MPs with a “notice of intention to prosecute UK politicians for complicity in war crimes in Gaza”. Keir Starmer (above), Emily Thornberry and David Lammy were specifically named.

The ICJP said at the time: “Last week, both Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition, and Emily Thornberry, shadow attorney general, spoke out in defence of Israel’s withholding of food, water and electricity to Gaza. They justified this collective punishment based on ‘Israel’s right to defend itself’.

“Both politicians are human rights lawyers and should be well aware that this argument does not justify collective punishment, which is illegal under international law.”

The news followed a similar warning issued to Rishi Sunak about UK Government officials.