Asylum Seeker Who Called for Death to Jews Seeks Deportation from UK

A Palestinian asylum seeker, who previously called for the death of Jews and was photographed with firearms, is now requesting deportation from the United Kingdom. Mosab Abdulkarim Al-Gassas, known as Abu Wadee, arrived in Britain in March 2025 via a small boat. Shortly after his arrival, he was exposed by the press for past affiliations with militant groups and alleged anti-Semitic statements.

Al-Gassas was imprisoned for illegal entry into the UK two months after his arrival and was subsequently released in December, placed in asylum accommodation. He has since been moved to a new location and has reportedly posted videos translated from Arabic, pleading for the Red Cross and human rights organizations to facilitate his immediate removal from Britain.

However, the Home Office has stated that Al-Gassas cannot be returned to Gaza because the region remains an active conflict zone, and there are no safe means for his repatriation. The UK's policy dictates that any foreign national receiving a prison sentence in the UK is referred for deportation, with a lifetime ban from returning.

While in Gaza, Al-Gassas was reportedly a member of the 'Tyre-Burning Unit,' a faction affiliated with Hamas, which engaged in activities such as throwing rocks and firebombs at Israeli troops during the 2018 Great March of Return protests. Images and social media posts from that period have surfaced, showing him with assault rifles and in confrontational settings. He also reportedly boasted to a Hamas-affiliated newspaper about using incendiary kites to cause fires in Israel.

Al-Gassas now claims he no longer supports Hamas, attributing his past actions to duress and stating he had Jewish friends in Gaza. He asserts that photos of him with weapons were taken at customary wedding celebrations and that his participation in the Marches of Return was no different from other residents of Gaza. He has expressed a desire to relocate and stated, "I love England, I love Corby."

His continued presence in the UK has drawn attention, with local MP Lee Barron writing to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood demanding Al-Gassas's deportation. Concerns have also been raised by organizations like the Campaign Against Antisemitism, highlighting the challenges in deporting individuals with a history of militancy. The Home Office has a policy of not commenting on individual cases but stated that over 11,000 foreign criminals have been deported in the two years prior to the report.