LONDON.- He Prince William today -February 20- called for an end to the fighting as soon as possible in the conflict between Israel and Hams, estimating that there were too many deaths, moving away from the reserve usually imposed by the British royal family.
The Prince of Wales and 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 Hams terrorist attack on October 7.
“There have been too many deaths. Like so many others, I want the fighting to stop as soon as possible. Gaza desperately needs more humanitarian aid. It is essential that the aid arrives and that the hostages are freed,” he said.
Prince William’s agenda in the face of the war
William, who has rarely appeared in public since his wife Kate’s abdominal surgery in mid-January, has several conflict-related commitments planned for the coming days.
The war was triggered by an attack on October 7 by Hams commandos infiltrating southern Israel.
More than 1,160 people were killed, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data.
In retaliation, Israel launched an offensive that caused 29,092 deaths in the Gaza Strip, the vast majority of them civilians, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.
Israel claims that there are still 130 hostages in Gaza, of the approximately 250 kidnapped on October 7, of whom 30 are believed to have died.
It is unusual for members of the royal family to speak out on current affairs or ongoing conflicts, except for the recent strong support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion.
The Israel/Hams conflict caused massive demonstrations in support of the Palestinians in the United Kingdom, where a significant Muslim community lives.
The Conservative Government initially called for humanitarian pauses and the search for a lasting ceasefire, but now it has hardened its tone and the head of diplomacy, David Cameron, called on Monday for an immediate end to the fighting.
FUENTE: AFP
