Prince William calls for an end to fighting in Gaza 'as soon as possible'
ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship reports as Prince William calls for the release of hostages and for more humanitarian aid in Gaza, warning that 'too many have been killed' in the conflict
The Prince of Wales has called for fighting in the Israel-Hamas war to end "as soon as possible."
Prince William said it is "critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released," in an statement released as he visited the London headquarters of the British Red Cross.
Kensington Palace announced this morning that the prince will meet aid workers and visit a synagogue.
William will meet aid workers providing humanitarian support in the region as well as hearing about the experiences of those on the ground.
He will also separately join a synagogue discussion with young people who are advocates against hatred, following the rise in antisemitism the palace said.
"The prince and princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds," Kensington Palace said.
"Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected."
In a statement posted to X on Tuesday, William said: "I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.
"Too many have been killed.
"I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible.... It's critical that aid gets in and hostages are released.
"...I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that."
William undertook the first official trip by a member of the monarchy to Israel and the Occupied West Bank in 2018, on behalf of the government.
During the visit, he sat down for separate talks with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas.
The ongoing war in Gaza has led to over 29,0000 Palestinians being killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
It started when the militant group raided Israel on October 7 2023, when Hamas killed about 1,200 people, with 250 taken hostage.
The militants still hold around 130 hostages. A quarter of them are believed to be dead.
Despite growing international concerns about the safety of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, Israel is still "thoroughly planning" a military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
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