King Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton Condemn Hamas Attack and Share Support for Israel

Spokespersons for the King and the Prince and Princess of Wales said the attacks on Israel were "appalling"

King Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton are voicing support for Israel after the surprise attacks by Hamas militants killed over 1,000 civilians last weekend.

On Wednesday, the Prince and Princess of Wales released a statement on social media. The message marked the couple’s first comment on the Oct. 7 attack. The violence by Hamas, which the U.S. classifies as a terrorist organization, prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare the same day that his country is “at war.”

A spokesperson for The Prince and Princess of Wales said, ‘The Prince and Princess of Wales are profoundly distressed by the devastating events that have unfolded in the past days. The horrors inflicted by Hamas’s terrorist attack upon Israel are appalling; they utterly condemn them."

Related: What Is Hamas, the Palestinian Militant Group Behind Terrorist Attacks on Israel?

“As Israel exercises its right of self defence, all Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be stalked by grief, fear and anger in the time to come. Their Royal Highnesses hold all the victims, their families and their friends in their hearts and minds. Those The Prince of Wales met in 2018 overwhelmingly shared a common hope — that of a better future,” it continued. “In the midst of such terrible suffering, The Prince and Princess continue to share that hope without reservation.”

Prince William and Princess Kate’s office referenced the Prince of Wales’ most recent trip to Israel, where he made history as the first member of the royal family to visit the Jewish state on official business. William, 41, traveled solo to Israel, Jordan and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in for four days in June 2018, and stopped in Tel Aviv, Ramallah and Jerusalem.

The high-profile visit was “at the request of Her Majesty’s government and has been welcomed by the Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian authorities,” Kensington Palace said in a statement at the time.

Though King Charles’ words of support for Israel amid the rapidly developing situation were not released to the royal family’s Royal.UK website or Royal Family social accounts, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace shared a statement on Wednesday.

Related: Joe Biden Offers Support to Israel as Prime Minister Says 'We Are at War' After Hamas Attack

“This is a situation His Majesty is extremely concerned about, and he has asked to be kept actively updated. His thoughts and prayers are with all of those suffering, particularly those who have lost loved ones, but also those actively involved as we speak,” the spokesperson said on the King’s behalf. “His Majesty is appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel.”

PEOPLE has also learned that Charles, 74, spoke to President Herzog of Isarel and King Abdullah of Jordan on the phone on Wednesday afternoon. Charles welcomed Herzog to Highgrove House during the president's visit to England in 2021, and King Abdullah attended the May coronation with his wife, Queen Rania.

The private conversations likely revolved around King Charles’ deep concern for the situation in the Middle East and served as an opportunity for him to express his thoughts and prayers for all those suffering, especially to the loved ones of those who have lost their lives.

Interfaith relations and inter-community dialogue at the national and international level have been close to Charles’ heart throughout life, and the key themes that were woven into his May coronation and related celebrations. The King will continue to seek ways to promote peace and understanding during this turbulent time.

Charles last visited Israel in 2020, becoming the most senior member of the British royal family to officially visit the country and the occupied Palestinian Territories, Reuters reported. He met Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during the trip, where he denounced the horrors of the Holocaust and dangers of antisemitism, in addition to expressing sorrow of the hardships suffered by the Palestinian people.

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The Oct. 7, 2023, attacks saw Hamas launch several thousand rockets into southern and central Israel, hitting cities as far north as Tel Aviv and on the outskirts of Jerusalem. These attacks are rare due to Israel's sophisticated Iron Dome missile defense system.

Roughly one hour after the rocket attacks began, Hamas militants breached the heavily defended Gaza border by land, sea and air, infiltrating nearly two dozen southern Israeli towns and taking civilians and soldiers hostage.

At least 900 people have died and 2,500 have been wounded since the surprise attacks, Israel Defense Forces international (IDF) spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CBS News. There are reportedly over 150 Israelis being held hostage in Gaza, according to The New York Times, including U.S. citizens.

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