Prince William recently met with a group of children from Gaza who are receiving medical care in the UK, Kensington Palace confirmed Monday.
"Recently His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales met a small number of children from Gaza who are currently receiving specialist care in the UK," a Kensington Palace spokesperson said. "The prince wished to offer a moment of comfort to these young people who have endured experiences no child should ever face."
"His Royal Highness was moved by the courage shown by the children and their families and by the dedication of the team who are supporting them with such professionalism and humanity", the spokesperson added.
Prince William also offered "his heartfelt gratitude" to the medical staff for providing "exceptional care during such a profoundly difficult time", the statement added.
According to UK’s Department of Health and Social Care, since May, the families of 50 children injured in Gaza have been flown to the UK, where the children have been hospitalized in local medical centers as part of a humanitarian program led by the British government.
The UK government said in a statement that the families are now being treated in a safe and supportive environment and that with the current ceasefire in place, "now is the time to expand aid efforts and deliver medicine and medical equipment into Gaza so families can access the treatment they need." The government added that it remains committed to providing medical support to the people of Gaza.
In February 2024, Prince William issued a rare public statement about the war, stating he is "deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East, adding that "Too many have been killed."
He said he wanted "to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible" and called for "increased humanitarian support to Gaza."
Following that statement, the prince visited the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London to hear about the fight against the soaring antisemitism in the UK , there he met with young interfaith ambassadors who took part in the fight.
"I'm just so sorry if any of you have had to experience antisemitism," the prince said. "It has no place and it shouldn't happen."
In 2018, Prince William became the first member of the British royal family to make an official visit to Israel. He met with then-President Reuven Rivlin and toured Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, where he spoke with two Holocaust survivors who arrived in Britain as children from Nazi Germany. During the same visit, he also met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.