The Guardian reports that Mark Smith, a counterterrorism official stationed at the British embassy in Dublin, announced his resignation on Sunday. He stated that he and his colleagues had "witnessed glaring examples" of Israel's violation of international human rights in Gaza and that he had previously worked in the field of licensing arms exports to the Middle East.

In his resignation letter, which was shared online with his coworkers, Smith stated, "Senior Israeli cabinet and military members have expressed open genocidal intent, Israeli soldiers take videos deliberately burning, destroying and looting civilian property." "More than 80% of Gaza's commercial properties and more than half of its residential properties have been damaged or destroyed."

Smith, who worked as second secretary at the UK Embassy in Dublin, added: “Whole streets and universities have been demolished, humanitarian aid is being blocked and civilians are regularly left with no safe quarter to flee to. Red Crescent ambulances have been attacked; schools and hospitals are regularly targeted. These are war crimes.”

He emphasized that, therefore, “no justification for the UK’s continued arms sales to Israel, yet somehow it continues.”

The Labour government has pledged to review the policy of arms sales to Israel, but has so far not come to any decision.