The UK’s Royal Air Force is running advanced reconnaissance flights over Gaza, using cutting-edge surveillance technology to aid Israel in its mission to find hostages still held by Hamas after the October 7 massacre.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is quietly playing a critical role in Israel’s search for hostages kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas massacre, the British Times revealed on Tuesday.
Flying from a British air base in Cyprus, Shadow R1 reconnaissance planes have carried out hundreds of sorties over the Gaza Strip. These advanced aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art electro-optical systems and high-grade electronic surveillance technology, enabling them to precisely scan streets, buildings, and moving vehicle convoys in the hunt for intelligence that could lead to the hostages’ location.
According to the report, the British Ministry of Defense confirmed the ongoing missions, clarifying that their purpose is solely:
“To assist in finding hostages, not in monitoring strike targets.”
The intelligence gathered from these flights is understood to be shared directly with Israeli authorities, forming part of the international effort to free the hostages who have endured nearly ten months in captivity under Hamas control.
This unprecedented cooperation underscores both the urgency of the hostage crisis and the growing international recognition that freeing them is not only a humanitarian imperative but also a moral one.
