THE Metropolitan Police has reversed its decision not to look into British nationals who fought in the Israel Defence Army (IDF) during the Gaza genocide.

Britain’s largest force said it would rethink its earlier position in an exchange with the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC), investigative outlet Declassified UK revealed today.

PILC and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) submitted a 240-page referral to the Met in August last year, alleging that 10 British nationals had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity for the IDF in Gaza.

Allegations included offences considered crimes under international law, such as “wilful killing, extermination, attacking civilians, and deportation or forcible transfer of population.”

An initial response from the Met said it would narrow the focus of its investigation to four identifiable British nationals.

Officers later informed the claimants in April 2026 that it would not go ahead with any criminal investigation, citing no realistic prospect of convictions.

In last week’s correspondence with PILC, however, the Met said it would carry out “a fresh scoping exercise” regarding the four British nationals.

It is to be undertaken by the Met’s war crimes team, operating within the Counter Terrorism Command (SO15), which will ultimately decide whether to conduct a full investigation.

The reversal comes after British-Palestinian human rights campaigner Lubna Speitan, represented by PILC, threatened the Met with judicial review proceedings claiming the force has wrongly applied its own policy.

PILC said the Met failed to consider all evidential pathways available for an investigation.

Michael Mansfield KC said the U-turn “provides an opportunity for a fresh and independent assessment based upon all available evidence. That is precisely what justice requires.”

The Met has been contacted.