Prince William called on Tuesday for an “end to the fighting as quickly as possible” in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, saying that there had been “too many deaths” and moving away from the reserve that is usually imposed. the British royal family. The Prince of Wales, heir to the throne, said in a statement that he was “very concerned about the human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.”
“There have been too many deaths. Like so many others, I want the fighting to stop as quickly as possible. Gaza is in desperate need of increased humanitarian aid. It is essential that aid is delivered and that the hostages be released,” he said.
Prince William plans several conflict-related commitments
William, who rarely appears in public since the abdominal operation undergone by his wife Kate in mid-January, now convalescent, has planned several engagements linked to the conflict, relating to humanitarian aid or in a synagogue for the coming days. It is very rare for members of the royal family to speak out on current affairs or ongoing conflicts, with the notable exception recently of strong support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion.
The Israel/Hamas conflict has sparked massive protests in support of the Palestinians in the United Kingdom, where there is a large Muslim community. Since its outbreak, a sharp increase in the number of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim acts has been noted on British soil.
The conservative government has so far favored calls for “humanitarian pauses” or the search for a “lasting ceasefire” rather than an immediate cessation of hostilities. However, he toughened his tone at a time when Israel is threatening to launch a major offensive on Rafah, a town in the Gaza Strip where there are 1.5 million people. The head of diplomacy David Cameron called on Monday for “an end to the fighting immediately”.