HRH Prince William is carrying out visits intended to recognise the human suffering and distress from the conflict and is said to have felt strongly about what has happened and is "deeply moved as a father".

The Prince’s statement was welcomed by Irene Yoong-Henery (pictured),  Parliamentary candidate for Reform UK in Birmingham Ladywood.

She said

"I condemn the terrorist organisation, Hamas, for ending years of peace between Israelis and the Palestinians on October 7 th, 2023 and I utterly deplore the violence that Hamas inflicted on Israeli civilians.

I also uphold Israel`s right to defend itself from its many enemies.  However, the revenge extracted from Israel against the Palestinians which have resulted in tens of thousands of deaths cannot continue and I ask Israel to find an alternative and sustainable solution.  It is time to sit down and talk".

Irene Yoong-Henery is a staunch Catholic who owned a multi-award winning law firm in Birmingham Ladywood for many years and is now a retired accountant and lawyer.  She has been a church volunteer for 26 years and is a mother to 4.  She was part of Ben Habib`s campaign in the recent Wellingborough By-Election which resulted in Reform UK taking 13% of the votes.  

Israel launched its operation against Gaza following an attack by Hamas on Israel on 7th October 2023 during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 were taken hostage.  According to the Hamas-run health ministry, Israel`s military campaign has killed 29,000 people in Gaza.

The building of bridges between faiths has been a particular cause for HRH Prince William’s father, King Charles III, who has had to step back from public duties following his cancer diagnosis.  King Charles has spoken about the "heartbreaking loss of life" following the Israel-Gaza War and has made an impassioned call for unity between different faiths and cultures.  

HRH Prince William`s full statement reads:

"I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th.  Too many have been killed.  

I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible.  There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza.  It`s critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.

Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home. 

Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair.  I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that".