07 April 2024 , 06:09
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UAV Engines Ltd has been targeted by pro-Palestinian demos
A British firm has denied it supplies engines that power the type of Israeli drone which killed seven aid workers in Gaza on Monday.
UAV Engines Ltd in Lichfield, Staffs, is owned by Israeli company Elbit Systems and supplies motors to the Middle East country.
Elbit Systems makes the Hermes 450 drone that killed civilians including Britons John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby.
But it said yesterday: “Elbit Systems UK, its subsidiaries and joint ventures, including UAV Engines Ltd are not involved in the Hermes 450 programme.”
UAV Engines boss David Cliff had written to residents in February after the factory was targeted by pro-Palestinian demos: “We do not supply engines to Elbit Israel. They have their own facility.”
The Sun on Sunday understands Hermes 450s used to be powered by Brit motors, but Israel upgraded them to their own R902 models from 2008.
UAV Engines said the motors it sends to Israel are for export to third countries and have not been used in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Brigadier Carl Boswell hailed his former comrade James Kirby as “one of life’s superstars” and “a man with a big, golden heart”.
Israel said strikes on the World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza were a “grave mistake” and should never have happened.
It sacked two officers on Friday and publicly rebuked three others after America demanded “immediate action”.
President Biden said the strike was “outrageous” while PM Rishi Sunak said the situation in Gaza was “increasingly intolerable”.
Israel’s investigation blamed “mistaken identification” of the convoy, errors in decision-making, and a breach of normal procedures for the blitz.