An inquest into the deaths of three British aid workers killed by an Israeli drone strike in Gaza two years ago is set to be expanded to focus on the Israeli military and the commander who ordered the attack.
John Chapman, James “Jim” Henderson and James Kirby were among seven aid workers killed when a three-car convoy belonging to World Central Kitchen (WCK) was hit.
The Israeli military has apologised for the deaths but announced in August that it would not be bringing criminal proceedings against the soldiers involved.
A hearing took place at the Coroner's Court in Bristol on Monday. Mr Kirby was born and raised in Britsol while the other two were also from the south west of England. Under UK law, an inquest must take place if a person dies abroad and there is reason to suspect the death was violent, unnatural or sudden with an unknown cause.
Senior coroner Maria Voisin determined the scope of the inquest, the choice of witness and the material to be used as evidence.
Alison Hewitt, counsel to the inquest with responsibility for evidence gathering, said submissions had been made to grant interested person status – giving the right to participation during the proceedings – to the Israeli military and Col Nochi Mendel, according to news outlet Bristol Live.
“It is right to say that as part of the background facts, there has been a recognition that the deaths resulted from strikes ordered by or on behalf of Israeli military and, it is said, specifically by Col Mendel,” Ms Hewitt said.
The family of Jim Henderson have said they hope the inquest will determine whether UK intelligence or military equipment were used in the attack. The Ministry of Defence has previously refused to supply footage taken by its Royal Air Force surveillance planes that flew over Gaza on April 1, 2024 despite repeated requests from the families.
Neil Henderson, Jim’s father, said ahead of the hearing: “We hope the coroner will carry out a thorough investigation into the attack that killed Jim and the others in the WCK convoy to include an exploration of all the issues relevant to his death, encompassing the decisions and policies leading to the attack, and what role, if any, UK authorities or military equipment originating from the UK may have played in the events of April 1, 2024.”
Last week, a government minister denied there was any such evidence in parliament, insisting that delivering accountability rests with Israel. “The rumours they have heard are simply not true,” said Uma Kumaran, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Overseas Territories, Caribbean, Global Tech and AI.
Yet the government continues to receive calls to release the drone footage. “Their families are still waiting for the unedited drone footage to be handed to the coroner and for a resumption date for the inquest. Can the minister give more clarity on what the government are doing to secure that footage and that date?” said Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford.
The three aid workers had previously served in the British Armed Forces and worked for Solace Global, a security company based in Poole, Dorset.
Israel's decision not to press charges against the soldiers who killed the seven aid workers drew widespread condemnation.
The Israeli claim that its courts are capable of holding their military and government to account has been a key argument in Tel Aviv's objection to the arrest warrant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court. The UK has previously defended this claim in its objections to the ICC referral.
The Israeli military has maintained the reason for the attack was the belief that Hamas had taken control of the convoy. Col Mendel, who ordered the attack, told Australian broadcaster ABC that while he did not intend to kill aid workers, he was “not sorry” for the decision to target the vehicles.
“Of course we didn't intend to kill anyone from the WCK; their connection with Hamas was a deviation from the plan,” he said in August.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said last week the attack amounted to “cold-blooded killing”. He added: “It is appalling that the investigation has been closed down. When one hears what happened in that incident, it makes one’s blood run cold, frankly. In the end, it amounted to a cold-blooded killing, in my view.”
The UK responded in a joint statement with the Australian and Canadian foreign ministries, describing the decision as “shameful”.
“We have been pressing for Israel to swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account,” the statement read. “The victims of this incident and their families deserve justice and accountability, and we will continue to seek answers on their behalf.”
Jim Henderson's brother Matt, who has opened a boxing gym in his brother's name in Penryn, Cornwall, previously told The National he had “no peace” about the circumstances around his brother's death.
“What reason do the British government have to not share their information?” he said. “If it's an accident, why do the Israeli government not share their information? If you make a mistake, you can show you've made a mistake.
“I have no peace at the moment from that. I can't accept that that's just an accident without showing me it's an accident,” he said.
