- 'This was a war crime. An aid worker was killed, one of many, many innocent people, be it journalists, be it medical health professionals or aid workers,' says Forz Khan
- 'They (government) are effectively aiding and abetting a genocide, which makes senior members of this government, and those who assist them guilty of very, very serious crimes,' warns barrister
LONDON
The lawyer for the family of James Henderson, a British aid worker killed in Gaza, has called on the government to release information about the Israeli drone strike that killed him, describing the attack as a "war crime."
James Henderson, a 33-year-old former Royal Marine, was among seven aid workers from the food charity World Central Kitchen, who were killed in the Israeli strike in Gaza on April 1, 2024.
In an interview with Anadolu, Forz Khan, the lawyer of the Henderson family, recalled that the aid workers were deliberately targeted by Israeli drones as their vehicles were clearly marked.
"Despite that, they were killed knowing full well that they were there to assist the Palestinian people who were undergoing suffering as a result of the actions of the Israelis," he said.
Mentioning that a Coroner's Court will soon be convened to investigate what happened on that occasion, Khan noted that the family will have answers as to what happened.
According to investigative reports, the Royal Air Force has surveillance tape of Gaza from the day Israel killed British aid workers, but the Defense Ministry refused to publish it.
Asked about how the British government approached the legal process regarding the killing of aid workers, Khan said that for now, the government has "not been forthcoming, they've been very reluctant to give much information."
"That's largely due to the support that the British government has for Israel, rather than for its own citizens, even when its own citizens have been murdered," he added.
What government doing is 'breach of international law'
The lawyer also touched on the surveillance flight by the Royal Air Force over Gaza on the day when Israel targeted aid workers. He said it is "highly probable" that the plane had footage of the attack taking place.
"We want that footage. It hasn't been disclosed," said Khan, demanding from the British government "openness" on the issue.
"This was a war crime. An aid worker was killed, one of many, many innocent people, be it journalists, be it medical health professionals or aid workers."
Khan added: "We want the government in this country to fully appreciate what we, they (are) doing is in breach of international law."
He urged the government to stop "aiding and abetting a genocide," and to support the Palestinian people "in their endeavors to repel the Israeli occupiers."
"They are effectively aiding and abetting a genocide, which makes senior members of this government, and those who assist them guilty of very, very serious crimes," he warned.
The Israeli genocide in Gaza entered day 700 on Friday, with Israel having killed at least 64,300 Palestinians. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.