Prince William has called for an end to the fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas in a new statement.
The Prince of Wales – and heir apparent – called for “permanent peace” in the conflict which has been raging since October.
In a statement released on Tuesday, he said: “I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed.”
The heir to the throne continued: “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.
“I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.”
Palestinian militants, Hamas, killed 1,200 people on Israeli soil on a single day last Autumn, and took a further 240 people hostage.
Israel declared war, put the Palestinian territory of Gaza under siege and soon started a ground offensive.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza say almost 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the last four months.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Prince of Wales’ formal account also wrote: “Today marks the first of two visits over the next few weeks to hear more about the human impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, beginning this afternoon, to hear about those supporting the humanitarian response.”
His statement is surprising because as a constitutional monarchy, the Royal Family normally stays out of politics – but his carefully crafted remarks do steer clear of any politicised language (like the word ceasefire).
His words came shortly before Labour changed its long-standing position on the conflict and called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza.
The party previously had the same stance as the government, which is still calling for a “sustainable ceasefire” at the moment.
Labour’s change of heart comes ahead of a motion tabled by the SNP, set to be debated in the Commons tomorrow, calling for an “immediate ceasefire”.