Heir to the throne's statement is a highly unusual intervention by the royal family's standards.
ADVERTISEMENTPrince William of the UK has called for an end to the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible.
"Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of a lasting peace is brought home,'' William said in a statement released by his office at Kensington Palace on Tuesday.
However, he stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire, which the House of Commons will be debating again on Wednesday.
The UN has warned of growing malnutrition in parts of Gaza, where little aid is being allowed into the territory or reaching its hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
The death toll continues to rise, and there is growing international concern about a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah, where many of Gaza's residents were told to flee so that they could be safe.
Speaking up
While is unusual for members of the royal family to comment on highly charged issues such as the Gaza conflict for fear of being drawn into political debates, William used careful language, focusing on universal humanity rather than taking sides.
His statement noted the "terrible human cost" since the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on 7 October and the "urgent need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza".
The prince said that "like so many others" he wanted to see "an end to the fighting as soon as possible".
The prince plans to meet aid workers working in the region and, separately, take part in a discussion at a synagogue with young people of different faiths who are campaigning against anti-Semitism.
The British royal family is highly aware that its public statements are open to political interpretation, which means that its members do not usually comment on topical issues.
William's father King Charles, however, has been very vocal about the fight against climate change.
Prince William has taken a more prominent role since his father was diagnosed with cancer. Charles has cancelled his public schedule and confined himself to office work, with no timetable for his return to full activity.