‘Unconscionable’: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle break silence over Hamas terror

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have finally weighed in on the Israel-Hamas conflict after King Charles and Prince William earlier slammed “barbaric” acts of terrorism.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have broken their silence about Hamas’ attacks on Israel.

In a statement posted to their Archewell website, the Sussexes’ said they “are supporting our partners and organisations on the frontlines in Israel” after the Hamas attacks.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex finally made a public statement over the fighting in southern Israel over the weekend, as the Israel Defense Forces prepared for a possible ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, pictured this week in New York, have broken their silence on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Picture: Getty Images

Hamas killed more than 1200 people and injured over 2700 after entering Israel, while 1200 have been killed and around 5600 wounded since Israel began bombing the Gaza Strip in response.

“At The Archewell Foundation, with Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, we stand against all acts of terrorism and brutality,” the couple said.

The Archewell Foundation, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan last night released a short statement on the Israel-Hamas war: pic.twitter.com/3mEgSlqAH8

— Omid Scobie (@scobie) October 12, 2023

“We are supporting our partners and organisations on the frontlines in Israel to provide the urgent aid needed, and to help all innocent victims of this unconscionable level of human suffering.”

King Charles became the first royal to comment publicly on the crisis on Wednesday, when a spokesperson said: “This is a situation His Majesty is extremely concerned about, and he has asked to be kept actively updated.”

The couple stopped short of criticising Hamas directly. Picture: Getty Images

CHARLES ‘APPALLED’ BY ‘TERRORISM’

King Charles spoke with Israel’s president to express his “deep shock” at the “barbaric” attacks launched by Hamas.

Isaac Herzog thanked the King for his support and said his words were an “important statement and of great comfort” to the people of Israel.

“The two talked at length about the terrible massacre and how it was carried out,” a statement from Mr Herzog’s office said.

Earlier, the King said he was “appalled” by the “barbaric acts of terrorism” in Israel, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

King Charles pictured in 2020 with Roman Krassovsky, Archimandrite of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia on the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem. Picture: AFP

“His Majesty is appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel,” the statement read.

“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.”

It comes as a spokesman for Prince William and Princess Catherine said they were “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.”

pic.twitter.com/lh3f5lusNx

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 11, 2023

Royal insiders previously said the King was “extremely concerned” about the Israel-Gaza conflict and had asked to be kept actively updated on developments.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were in New York on Tuesday night local time for a panel on parenting and mental health, stayed silent on the atrocities happening in Israel.

King Charles previously travelled to Israel three times before he took the throne. His son Prince William also paid an official visit to Israel and the West Bank in 2018.

King Charles (then the Prince of Wales) attends the funeral of former Israeli president and prime minister Shimon Peres in 2016. Picture: AFP

In January 2020, the King, then Prince of Wales, sympathised with the Palestinian people, speaking of the hardships they face and saying he wished them “freedom, justice and equality” in the future.

He spoke during a historic first visit to the West Bank, when he walked through Bethlehem with Muslim and Christian leaders.

In May, it was reported that plans were underway for the new King to visit Israel, which would make him the first monarch to do so.

Prince William visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City in 2018. Picture: AFP

After the Queen’s death last September, Tory peer Lord Polak, who paid tribute to the late monarch in the House of Lords, said he had a conversation with Princess Anne over how “sad” it was the Queen had not been permitted by Britain’s Foreign Office to visit Israel.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared on a panel in New York on Tuesday night but stayed silent on Israel. Picture: Getty Images

“We had a conversation and discussed how the Royal Family were prohibited by the Foreign Office from visiting Israel. We agreed that it was and is sad that the Queen, as someone who was deeply religious and God-fearing, never walked down the Via Dolorosa into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem or experienced the peace and tranquillity on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.”

Israel’s death toll has reached 1,200 with more than 2,700 wounded, its military has said, during the Hamas militants’ hours-long rampage after breaching the border fence around Gaza over the weekend.