The UK Home Office has instructed its staff to flag future Palestinian asylum claims for 'reputational risk' checks. This directive follows the case of an individual, identified as Mr. X, who reportedly received asylum and later British citizenship despite having served as a bodyguard for Ismail Haniyeh, the former leader of Hamas.
Mr. X, who cannot be named for legal reasons, worked in Haniyeh's security detail in Gaza between 2007 and 2017. He was reportedly granted asylum in the UK in 2015. He now faces extradition to Germany over allegations of plotting an anti-Semitic terror attack in Europe, intended to coincide with the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
The new alert was issued after the case of Mr. X gained media attention. Asylum caseworkers have been told to initiate a High Profile Notification if they receive claims from individuals connected to the Gaza medical evacuation scheme, which was established last August to bring seriously ill children and their immediate families from Gaza for treatment. This notification is designed to alert senior Home Office officials and the press office to cases that could potentially cause embarrassment.
An insider suggested that the directive is a reactive measure, prompted by fears that some family members of children admitted under the medical scheme might have links to Hamas. The source indicated that current screening processes may not be sufficiently robust, relying on direct questioning without proactive investigation.
However, the Home Office has denied these claims, stating that asylum caseworkers conduct thorough interviews and detailed assessments and do not accept claims at face value. The department also emphasized that asylum decisions undergo quality assurance checks, with 93 percent meeting official standards. A Home Office spokesman affirmed their commitment to using all available powers to investigate asylum claims and safeguard national security, adding that benefits of refugee status would be denied to those posing a threat.
In a separate incident, a Palestinian migrant previously jailed for calling for the deaths of Jewish people was reportedly housed in taxpayer-funded asylum accommodation after arriving in the UK via a small boat. The Home Office is understood to be seeking his removal from the country.
