Gaza Crisis: UK Reviewing £8bn Arms Exports to Israel in Response to Operation Protective Edge

Britain is reviewing the sale of £8bn (€10bn, $13.4bn) in arms and military equipment to Israel in response to the ground and air offensive on Gaza, a British government spokeswoman confirmed.

The review will examine whether the licences are appropriate and the weapons supplied are not being used for the provocation of conflict, in light of the Israeli military's ground and air offensive in Gaza.

"We are currently reviewing all export licenses to Israel to confirm that we think they are appropriate," a spokeswoman for prime minister David Cameron said.

"Clearly the current situation has changed compared to when some licences will have been granted, and we're reviewing those existing licences against the current situation, but no decisions have been taken beyond going back again and reviewing," she added.

The government, however, stopped short of ending the licensing of military equipment to Israel completely because they believe the country has a "legitimate right to self-defence".

According to a British parliamentary committee report published last month, outstanding contracts for the export of British military goods to Israel are worth more than £7.8bn ($13.12bn).

The contracts include drone components, military communications, body armour, cryptographic software and missile parts.

The decision to review the export licences came last week, before reports emerged of a British national being killed by an Israeli air strike in Gaza.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has criticised Cameron for not condemning Israel's offensive more forcefully. However, the prime minister said that the opposition leader was "playing politics" in his criticism.

Gaza health officials have confirmed that over 1,800 Palestinians – mostly civilians – have been killed in the IDF's 'Operation Protective Edge' with more than 9,000 injured.

The Israeli military confirmed that 64 soldiers had been killed in the conflict as well as two Israeli civilians and a Thai national.