Prince William has said that “too many have been killed” in the Israel-Hamas war, as he called for the fighting to end “as soon as possible”.
In a rare statement on the crisis, the Prince of Wales said he clings “to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that”.
“I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October,” he said.
“I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It’s critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.
“Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.
“Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair.”
The statement has been issued after it emerged Prince William is set to carry out a series of engagements to highlight the plight of all those affected by the ongoing conflict.
In the coming days he will meet with charities in the UK that are providing humanitarian support in the region and will hear about the conditions faced by those working on the ground.
He will also join a conversation at a synagogue with young people from a wide range of communities to acknowledge the rise in antisemitism around the world.
In October last year Prince William made what was seen as an unexpected intervention when Kensington Palace released a statement expressing his and the Princess of Wales’s profound distress at the devastating events unfolding in the region.
It is rare for members of the Royal Family to make public comments on such contentious matters.
