Prince William on Tuesday called for an “as quickly as possible end to the fighting” in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, saying there had been “too many deaths” and a change from the British royal family's usual reticence.
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The heir to the throne, the Prince of Wales, said in a statement that he was “deeply concerned about the human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.”
“There were too many deaths. Like so many others, I want the fighting to stop as soon as possible. Gaza urgently needs more humanitarian aid. It is important that assistance is provided and the hostages are released,” he said.
William, who has rarely appeared in public since his wife Kate's abdominal surgery in mid-January, who has now recovered, has planned several engagements related to the conflict in the coming days, such as humanitarian aid or at a synagogue.
The war was sparked by an unprecedented attack on October 7 by Hamas commandos who invaded southern Israel. More than 1,160 people were killed, most of them civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data.
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In retaliation, Israel launched an offensive that killed 29,092 people in the Gaza Strip, the vast majority of them civilians, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.
Israel says there are still 130 hostages in Gaza, 30 of whom are believed to have died, out of around 250 people kidnapped on October 7.
It is very rare for members of the royal family to comment on current affairs or ongoing conflicts, with the notable exception of their recent strong support of Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion.
The Israel/Hamas conflict has sparked massive protests in support of Palestinians in the United Kingdom, where there is a large Muslim community.
Since its outbreak, there has been a sharp increase in the number of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim acts on British soil.
The Conservative government has so far preferred calls for “humanitarian pauses” or the search for a “permanent ceasefire” to an immediate cessation of hostilities.
However, he sharpened his tone at a time when Israel threatened a major offensive against Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip that is home to 1.5 million people.
Diplomatic chief David Cameron called on Monday for an “immediate end to the fighting”.