Latest news with #Brisley
The Independent
02-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Hostage families urge Keir Starmer to take ‘bold steps' in helping to end war
Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to 'do everything possible to prevent the escalation' in Gaza, as the daughter of a killed Israeli hostage called on him to encourage both sides to return to negotiations. Two British families of Israeli hostages have written to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy asking for 'diplomacy' and for 'bold steps' to help end the war. It comes as Israel has expanded its military operations in Gaza. The offensive was described by the country's defence minister, Israel Katz, as 'expanding to crush and clean the area' of militants and 'seizing large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel'. Writing to the Prime Minister, Dr Sharone Lifschitz said: 'Today, I urge you once again to do everything possible to prevent the escalation of war in Gaza and encourage both sides to return to negotiations.' Both of Dr Lifschitz's parents were kidnapped on October 7 2023. Her father Oded Lifshitz was killed, while her mother Yocheved was released. She asked Sir Keir to 'do everything you can to save those who are still alive' and added: 'It's not too late to help the hostages who are in unimaginable pain. 'Recent actions by the Israeli government show a troubling willingness to risk their lives. 'Please take bold steps to bring everyone back to the negotiation table and aim for a deal that secures the return of all hostages and ends this war.' Steve Brisley, whose sister Lianne was killed alongside her two teenage daughters on October 7 2023, and whose brother-in-law Eli Sharabi was recently released, has also written to the Prime Minister and Mr Lammy, telling them that 'now is the time for diplomacy, not devastation'. He said in his separate letter: 'Now is the time for the war to end. Now is the time to complete the deal and bring them home.' Mr Brisley's brother-in-law Yossi Sharabi was killed and his body is yet to be returned. More than 150 released hostages and hostage family members – including Dr Lifschitz and Mr Brisley – also released a statement on Wednesday calling for a 'stop to the fighting' and for negotiations to begin again. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement: 'We call on the international community and all mediators to exert maximum pressure on both sides. 'A deal that includes the return of all hostages and an end to the war must be signed without further delay. Every moment lost could mean another life extinguished. They added: 'We must stop the fighting and immediately return to the negotiating table to reach a comprehensive agreement for their return: all hostages in exchange for ending the war and finding a solution for the day after.' The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Israel's offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, including hundreds killed in strikes since a ceasefire ended about two weeks ago, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not say whether those killed are civilians or combatants.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hostage families urge Keir Starmer to take ‘bold steps' in helping to end war
Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to 'do everything possible to prevent the escalation' in Gaza, as the daughter of a killed Israeli hostage called on him to encourage both sides to return to negotiations. Two British families of Israeli hostages have written to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy asking for 'diplomacy' and for 'bold steps' to help end the war. It comes as Israel has expanded its military operations in Gaza. The offensive was described by the country's defence minister, Israel Katz, as 'expanding to crush and clean the area' of militants and 'seizing large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel'. Writing to the Prime Minister, Dr Sharone Lifschitz said: 'Today, I urge you once again to do everything possible to prevent the escalation of war in Gaza and encourage both sides to return to negotiations.' Both of Dr Lifschitz's parents were kidnapped on October 7 2023. Her father Oded Lifshitz was killed, while her mother Yocheved was released. She asked Sir Keir to 'do everything you can to save those who are still alive' and added: 'It's not too late to help the hostages who are in unimaginable pain. 'Recent actions by the Israeli government show a troubling willingness to risk their lives. 'Please take bold steps to bring everyone back to the negotiation table and aim for a deal that secures the return of all hostages and ends this war.' Steve Brisley, whose sister Lianne was killed alongside her two teenage daughters on October 7 2023, and whose brother-in-law Eli Sharabi was recently released, has also written to the Prime Minister and Mr Lammy, telling them that 'now is the time for diplomacy, not devastation'. He said in his separate letter: 'Now is the time for the war to end. Now is the time to complete the deal and bring them home.' Mr Brisley's brother-in-law Yossi Sharabi was killed and his body is yet to be returned. More than 150 released hostages and hostage family members – including Dr Lifschitz and Mr Brisley – also released a statement on Wednesday calling for a 'stop to the fighting' and for negotiations to begin again. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement: 'We call on the international community and all mediators to exert maximum pressure on both sides. 'A deal that includes the return of all hostages and an end to the war must be signed without further delay. Every moment lost could mean another life extinguished. They added: 'We must stop the fighting and immediately return to the negotiating table to reach a comprehensive agreement for their return: all hostages in exchange for ending the war and finding a solution for the day after.' The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Israel's offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, including hundreds killed in strikes since a ceasefire ended about two weeks ago, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not say whether those killed are civilians or combatants.
Telegraph
20-03-2025
- Telegraph
Channel migrants offered discounts to film crossings for social media
People smugglers are offering migrants a discount for crossing the Channel if they film their journey so it can be promoted on social media. Migrants are encouraged to film the journeys and then post them on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook in order to lure others into making the dangerous crossings. In return, they get a cheaper crossing as the footage boosts business for the smugglers. The new tactic was revealed by Paul Brisley, from the National Crime Agency (NCA), which has been taking down the social media posts in an attempt to stem the crossings. Last year, the NCA triggered the removal of more than 8,000 social media accounts promoting crossings – up from 5,600 it had removed in 2023. It is estimated the takedowns accounted for almost half of accounts advertising people-smuggling services. A total of 4,392 people in 80 boats have made the crossing to the UK so far this year and been picked up by Border Force vessels. On Wednesday, a migrant died after being pulled from the water after a group of people in a dinghy got into difficulty off the French coast. Many of the migrants seeking to cross the Channel have connected with people smugglers via social media. One video on TikTok showed footage of a small boat being transported across the Channel with the Union Jack flag and an emoji pointing towards England. The man running the account is from Afghanistan. The cost of securing passage across the Channel in a small boat ranges from £1,500 to £6,000, with discounts said to range between £1,000 and £2,000. Talking about the discounts on offer, Mr Brisley said: 'The adverts show photographs of migrants in a boat, using videos of the migrants themselves as an endorsement of the service.' He said incentives were offered for family groups, certain nationalities, women and children. 'They will also offer discounts if migrants take a video of their journey if it is successful, that they can then use to promote their service,' he added. Social media adverts also promote services such as supplying false and fraudulent documentation. 'The criminals offer migrant smuggling services, the supply of false documents and fraudulent assistance with visa applications,' said Mr Brisley. Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: 'It's welcome news there is a crackdown on social media channels. It is disturbing to hear that they are offering discounts for video footage. It shows they are very entrepreneurial. This is a ruthless business making millions each year.' Many videos are often accompanied by joyous music and showing British life and culture in a positive light. 'Social media is the marketplace' An immigration source said: 'The videos are becoming more sophisticated. Social media is the marketplace for these journeys. 'The smugglers are getting more and more professional in their approach. There is also more competition than ever, so they have to stay one step ahead. They are making their adverts as professional as they can. That includes making crossings look as safe and peaceful as possible. But in reality, they are dangerous.' This time last year, just more than 3,683 migrants had arrived on small boats across the Channel. Some 261 migrants arrived after making the journey in five boats on March 10, taking the provisional total of arrivals for the year to 4,395 people. A Home Office spokesman said: 'We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. 'The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.'
Telegraph
20-03-2025
- Telegraph
Channel migrants offered discounts if they film their crossing for TikTok
People smugglers are offering migrants a discount for crossing the Channel if they film their journey so it can be promoted on social media. Migrants are encouraged to film the journeys and then post them on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook in order to lure others into making the dangerous crossings. In return, they get a cheaper crossing as the footage boosts business for the smugglers. The new tactic was revealed by Paul Brisley, from the National Crime Agency (NCA), which has been taking down the social media posts in an attempt to stem the crossings. Last year, the NCA triggered the removal of more than 8,000 social media accounts promoting crossings – up from 5,600 it had removed in 2023. It is estimated the takedowns accounted for almost half of accounts advertising people-smuggling services. A total of 4,392 people in 80 boats have made the crossing to the UK so far this year and been picked up by Border Force vessels. On Wednesday, a migrant died after being pulled from the water after a group of people in a dinghy got into difficulty off the French coast. Many of the migrants seeking to cross the Channel have connected with people smugglers via social media. One video on TikTok showed footage of a small boat being transported across the Channel with the Union Jack flag and an emoji pointing towards England. The man running the account is from Afghanistan. Families targeted by incentives The cost of securing passage across the Channel in a small boat ranges from £1,500 to £6,000, with discounts said to range between £1,000 and £2,000. Talking about the discounts on offer, Mr Brisley said: 'The adverts show photographs of migrants in a boat, using videos of the migrants themselves as an endorsement of the service.' He said incentives were offered for family groups, certain nationalities, women and children. 'They will also offer discounts if migrants take a video of their journey if it is successful, that they can then use to promote their service,' he added. Social media adverts also promote services such as supplying false and fraudulent documentation. 'The criminals offer migrant smuggling services, the supply of false documents and fraudulent assistance with visa applications,' said Mr Brisley. Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: 'It's welcome news there is a crackdown on social media channels. It is disturbing to hear that they are offering discounts for video footage. It shows they are very entrepreneurial. This is a ruthless business making millions each year.' Many videos are often accompanied by joyous music and showing British life and culture in a positive light. An immigration source said: 'The videos are becoming more sophisticated. Social media is the marketplace for these journeys. 'The smugglers are getting more and more professional in their approach. There is also more competition than ever, so they have to stay one step ahead. They are making their adverts as professional as they can. That includes making crossings look as safe and peaceful as possible. But in reality, they are dangerous.' This time last year, just more than 3,683 migrants had arrived on small boats across the Channel. Some 261 migrants arrived after making the journey in five boats on March 10, taking the provisional total of arrivals for the year to 4,395 people. A Home Office spokesman said: 'We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. 'The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.'
BBC News
09-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Channel migrants: 'Relentless battle against smuggling gangs'
The battle against people smuggling gangs who are promoting Channel crossings online "is relentless", Paul Brisley from the National Crime Agency (NCA) says. "Nearly 18,000 social media accounts, pages, and posts have been removed by [social media] companies since we started working with them in November 2021," he this year more than 3,700 people have made the journey from France to Kent on small boats. One person died and a further 69 were rescued when a boat sank off the coast of Calais on Friday evening. Asylum and refugee campaigners say the government's focus on policing powers is at the expense of devising more safe routes for people genuinely in NCA started its social media action plan with Meta, X, TikTok and YouTube to help build understanding of how organised criminals used their platforms to advertise illegal services and limit gangs' ability to exploit victims and plan dangerous illegal crossings."The criminals offer migrant smuggling services, the supply of false documents and fraudulent assistance with visa applications," Mr Brisley said. "The adverts show photographs of migrants in a boat, using videos of the migrants themselves as an endorsement of the service," the senior manager in the threat leadership command section at the NCA said. He said incentives were offered for family groups, certain nationalities, women and children. "They will also offer discounts if migrants take a video of their journey if it is successful, that they can then use to promote their service," he added. A lot of the law enforcement activity is also focused on disrupting the physical supply of boating equipment to the Channel NCA and its partner agencies have focused on nautical equipment being supplied from Turkey via the Balkans to Barcroft, the organised immigration crime threat lead at the NCA, said one example of that is in Bulgaria, where the authorities have introduced a protocol to stop and seize dangerous small boat equipment at the border."It has forced organised crime groups to take longer and costlier supply routes to try and get around that disruption," he said. "Over 600 boats and engines have been seized."He said equipment was hidden in the back of vans and lorries, and taken on different routes to Germany, avoiding the Bulgarian border. Law changes Home Secretary Yvette Cooper says new powers in the the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will mean "we can step in much earlier to take action on those who are facilitating the boats".However, Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said it was "a weak bill from a weak government".Border officials will get powers to seize migrants' phones in the search for intelligence about who helped them cross the convicted of acts in preparation of smuggling, such as buying boat parts, face up to 14 years in jail, in an attempt to tackle gangs at a far earlier stage in their preparations, the government says. A new offence of endangering lives at sea could lead to the prosecution of anyone arriving in the UK on a small and unsafe boat who has been involved in intimidating or coercing others passengers to take part in the journey, or who has refused to be rescued outside of British and refugee campaigners say the government's focus on policing powers is at the expense of devising more safe routes for people genuinely in Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the government was right to tackle smuggling gangs."But we are very concerned that by creating new offences, many refugees themselves could also be prosecuted."The Home Office said new measures to tackle people-smuggling gangs have been agreed by the UK and France, with more than £7m of existing funds redirected towards a "stronger" law enforcement response on migrant Channel UK has also signed a "road map" agreement with France aimed at bolstering co-operation to tackle people and French representatives are due to meet in May as part of the new agreement to strengthen partnership between the two countries on migration.
