The United Kingdom’s use of surveillance technology developed by Israeli companies has drawn renewed scrutiny following disclosures that several police forces and government departments maintain contracts with firms whose products have been deployed in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Public procurement records show that multiple UK law enforcement agencies have purchased or renewed agreements with digital forensics company Cellebrite, video analytics provider BriefCam and facial recognition specialist Corsight.

The contracts have prompted criticism from advocacy organisations, which argue that these technologies were developed and refined in contexts involving extensive monitoring of Palestinians.

Cellebrite, an Israeli-founded firm with longstanding ties to the country’s security sector, produces forensic extraction tools capable of unlocking and analysing data from mobile phones and computers when investigators have physical possession of a device.

According to publicly available contract records, City of London Police renewed a one-year agreement valued at more than ninety-five thousand pounds in June, while Leicestershire Police extended its contract in March for more than three hundred thousand pounds.

Other forces, including the British Transport Police and the Serious Fraud Office, have also entered into agreements.

A senior company representative has rejected characterisations of the technology as “hacking”, stating that its tools are designed for legally sanctioned investigations and require physical access to a device, rather than enabling remote intrusion.

The firm has previously faced international scrutiny over sales to governments with poor human rights records, and says it has compliance mechanisms governing its exports.

BriefCam, founded in Israel and now owned by Denmark-based Milestone Systems, supplies video analytics software that allows users to condense and search large volumes of CCTV footage.

The system can filter images by characteristics such as clothing, movement patterns and vehicle registration plates, and includes facial recognition capabilities.

Cumbria Police has confirmed it has used BriefCam for several years but says it does not currently deploy its facial recognition functions.

Police Scotland has disclosed that it is considering similar technology.

Human rights organisations have argued that comparable systems have been used by Israeli authorities in East Jerusalem and elsewhere to monitor movement and enforce security measures.

Israeli authorities maintain that such technologies are deployed for public safety and counter-terrorism purposes.

Corsight, an Israeli facial recognition company, has also been selected through a subcontracting arrangement to support elements of the Home Office’s expansion of mobile facial recognition units.

Earlier international reporting noted internal debate within parts of Israel’s security establishment about the operational use of certain facial recognition tools.

The UK government has not publicly detailed the extent of Corsight’s role beyond procurement notices.

The broader debate reflects a global expansion in the trade of digital surveillance and forensic technologies.

Law enforcement agencies argue that such tools are vital for tackling serious crime, terrorism and organised fraud.

Civil liberties advocates contend that without stringent oversight, the technologies risk misuse and discriminatory application.

In the UK, police forces state that procurement decisions are subject to legal, ethical and data protection assessments.

Some forces have indicated that independent advisory panels were consulted prior to implementation.

Critics, however, continue to call for greater transparency and a reassessment of contracts with firms whose technologies have been associated with contentious overseas deployments.