An online petition calling for a public inquiry into the United Kingdom’s role in Gaza reached 100,000 signatures on Monday, November 9, 2026. Reaching this threshold requires the Petitions Committee to consider the proposal for a formal debate in Parliament. The petition, launched by Your Party chair Jenn Forbes, proposes an investigation similar to the Chilcot Inquiry to examine British involvement in Israeli military operations, including weapons sales and the use of Royal Air Force bases.
The petition follows the government's decision to block a private member's bill introduced by Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn. That bill sought a judge-led investigation into the UK's military and intelligence activities related to Gaza since October 2023. While the government previously suspended 30 arms export licenses to Israel due to concerns over international humanitarian law, it maintained an exemption for British-made components used in the global F-35 fighter jet program.
Supporters of the inquiry, including Mr. Corbyn, stated that the public deserves answers regarding what weapons were supplied and what legal advice ministers received. The UK produces approximately 15 percent of every F-35 jet, which the United Nations reports have been used in bombing campaigns that damaged 90 percent of Gaza's residential infrastructure. Humanitarian monitors report that more than 75,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict intensified in October 2023.
For the average citizen, the outcome of this petition could determine how much information is publicly released regarding the government's legal justifications for military support. A person would notice the impact through the publication of formerly private ministerial advice and intelligence-gathering methods. The scale of the conflict being scrutinized includes the reported death of over 75,000 people and the near-total destruction of residential areas in Gaza, which a UN committee categorized in 2025 as consistent with genocide.
The knock-on effects of such an inquiry could influence future British foreign policy and set a precedent for how the UK handles arms export exemptions during international conflicts. While Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government has introduced trade restrictions on settlement goods, the inquiry seeks to clarify the extent of ongoing assistance that critics argue remains hidden. The next step occurs in the coming weeks when the Petitions Committee meets to decide on a debate date, following a mandatory written response from the government.