Tory MP Crispin Blunt has issued a warning that the UK might be implicated in war crimes in Gaza, and legal consequences could follow if it fails to take more substantial measures to “restrain” Israel. As co-director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), Mr. Blunt has revealed that the organisation has issued a notice of intent to prosecute UK government officials for their alleged involvement in “assisting and supporting war crimes in Gaza.”

This action is a response to Israel’s recent advisory, urging 1.2 million individuals residing in the northern region of the Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes and relocate to the south. In light of these developments, Mr. Blunt expressed concerns that his parliamentary colleagues might not fully comprehend the legal jeopardy they are facing. He emphasised the necessity for everyone to take action to prevent war crimes if they have knowledge of such impending events.

Mr. Blunt explained that knowingly allowing a party to commit a war crime, particularly the forced displacement of people, which constitutes a direct violation of international law statutes applicable to all states in this region, would implicate individuals in complicity. As international law has evolved in this domain, being complicit in such actions equates to being equally culpable as the party executing the crime.