A prominent British trauma surgeon has launched a searing indictment of the UK government, accusing it of being complicit in the bombing of Gaza's hospitals by permitting the export of key fighter jet components to Israel.
Dr. Nick Maynard, who recently returned from a harrowing two-week mission in Gaza, delivered his testimony to MPs. He described in chilling detail the systematic destruction of healthcare infrastructure, alleging that UK-supplied parts are present in the very F-16 jets conducting airstrikes.
A Frontline Account of Destruction
"I saw the destruction of a healthcare system… I saw the results of the bombing of hospitals," Dr. Maynard stated. He worked at the European Gaza Hospital and witnessed the aftermath of strikes on facilities like Al-Shifa and the Indonesian Hospital, which he described as being rendered "completely non-functional."
His most damning claim centres on the provenance of the weapons used. He directly challenged the government's stance, asserting, "The F-16 fighter jets being used… have components from the UK. That is my understanding." This, he argues, makes UK export licences for such components a direct enabler of the violence.
A Call for Moral Leadership
Dr. Maynard's evidence cuts to the heart of the UK's ethical foreign policy. He lambasted the government's position as "completely incoherent," juxtaposing calls for ceasefire and aid with the continuous authorisation of arms exports. "We are utterly failing Gaza," he concluded, urging for an immediate halt to all arms sales that could be used in the conflict.
This testimony places immense pressure on ministers to justify how the continued licensing of military components aligns with international humanitarian law and the UK's own strategic licensing criteria.
