The United Kingdom’s controversial rollout of facial recognition technology will rely on software that appears to have already been deployed in Gaza, where it is used by Israeli forces to track, locate and abduct thousands of Palestinians passing through checkpoints.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on Monday that British police will greatly increase the use of facial recognition technology used for surveillance purposes.
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An Al Jazeera inquiry into the Home Office’s procurement agency, Blue Light Commercial, confirmed that Israeli-based firm Corsite AI was subcontracted by UK company Digital Barriers to provide artificial intelligence-enabled facial recognition software.
Under the Home Office’s proposals, the UK’s current fleet of 10 live facial recognition vans would be expanded to more than 50, which would be used across the country to identify individuals on police watchlists, sparking fears about civil liberties among campaigners and concerns about the accuracy of those used by Israeli intelligence.
Digital Barriers confirmed that it and its subcontractor, Corsight, had been chosen as part of the 20 million pound ($27.6m) roll-out, when police in Essex announced their selection in April as one of three suppliers of the software, following a six-month trial.
However, despite the UK government’s belated – if restrained – criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, where it is accused of genocide, it has moved to partner with firms that operate as part of Israel’s surveillance architecture in Gaza.
Essex Police previously refused to comply with a Freedom of Information request made in April 2025 to the advocacy group Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), asking whether its officers had met directly with representatives of Corsite. Essex Police claimed that determining that information would exceed cost and time constraints, the AOAV’s statement read.
The Israeli connection
In March 2024, more than a year before the UK government chose Corsight and Digital Barriers, the New York Times reported that Corsight technology was being deployed in Gaza by the Israeli Cyber-Intelligence Division Unit 8200. However, misunderstandings about its accuracy, including wrongful arrests and detentions, cast doubt on the safety of hundreds of Israeli officials. About the system to journalists.
Israel has done it repeatedly Criticized for using artificial intelligence in GazaWith the use of AI to identify bombing targets.
Corsight’s website shows that its board of directors includes former Israeli intelligence officer Igal Reichelgaz. Other members include former Israeli security, or Shin Bet, officer, Yaron Ashkenazi, and retired Major-General Giora Eiland, who is said to have given his name to the so-called “General’s plan“, Quarantine and Starve Northern Gaza in October 2024.
The conditions imposed on northern Gaza as a result of that plan are believed to have killed more than a thousand people, either through direct bombardment, disease or starvation, and the region’s health care system has collapsed.
Shortly after the siege was imposed, the UK denounced and condemned the Israeli actions.
In the United Nations. Also writing at the time, former UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticized Israel’s siege and starvation policies, describing the conditions Israel imposed on northern Gaza as “horrendous” and pleading for aid to be allowed.
Responding to news of Corsight’s involvement in the UK police scheme, Amnesty International’s UK Crisis Response Manager, Christian Benedict, said, “The UK government has clear legal obligations to help prevent and punish genocide and yet it is failing abjectly to meet its obligations.”
“Governments should ban investments in companies and financial institutions that contribute to Israel’s genocide, illegal business and the maintenance of the apartheid system, including weapons production, surveillance and policing equipment or technology,” Benedict added.
Al Jazeera has written to the UK Home Secretary asking whether due diligence has been done in selecting partners for the rollout of its facial recognition technology, but has yet to receive a response.
When asked by Al Jazeera, a Home Office spokesman declined to comment on what he described as “operational matters”. Several attempts to approach Corsight and digital barriers have also gone unanswered.