UK Royal Mail under scrutiny for labeling Gaza as ‘Israel’
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Royal Mail, the United Kingdom's primary postal service, has come under scrutiny following reports that its business courier and parcel shipping forms categorize Gaza and Khan Yunis under ‘Israel’.
This labeling contradicts the United Nations' position and the UK's formal recognition of Palestine as a state.
The issue gained attention through social media and advocacy platforms, where users highlighted dropdown menus and address tools in Royal Mail's online systems listing Gaza alongside ‘Israeli’ destinations, with country codes defaulting to ‘Israel's’ +972 code.
Breaking: @RoyalMail business courier service updates their form and labels Gaza as israel, going against UN and even UK recognition of Gaza as Palestinian land. pic.twitter.com/iLXEVMdo5M
— NewsCord (@newscord_org) June 10, 2026
Separate entries for "Gaza & Khan Yunis" appear in some parcel tools, but operational routing often ties them to ‘Israeli’ postal services.
Royal Mail's International Incident Bulletin explicitly states it cannot currently accept items addressed to Gaza or the West Bank, while services to ‘Israel’ continue with expected delays.
Mail to these areas is practically routed via ‘Israeli’ infrastructure.
The United Kingdom formally recognized the State of Palestine in September 2025, aligning with efforts to support a two-state solution.
The UN and a majority of countries regard Gaza as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Advocacy groups, including NewsCord, have launched campaigns urging Royal Mail to update its forms to explicitly recognize Gaza under Palestine.
