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King Charles III is "extremely concerned" about the Hamas attack in Israel, his spokesperson said.
The monarch has been to Israel in a personal capacity in the past but remained silent on the escalating conflict for several days after Hamas fighters crossed the border from the Gaza Strip on October 7.
At least 1,200 people in Israel are dead, and more than 900 people in Gaza have been killed after four nights of Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters, with thousands more injured on both sides.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said: "Over 263,934 people in Gaza are believed to have fled their homes."
"This is a situation His Majesty is extremely concerned about, and he has asked to be kept actively updated," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said of King Charles. "His thoughts and prayers are with all of those suffering, particularly those who have lost loved ones, but also those actively involved. His Majesty is appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel."
Kensington Palace followed up with a statement on behalf of Prince William and Kate Middleton: "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. 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.
"In the midst of such terrible suffering, The Prince and Princess continue to share that hope without reservation."
No serving British Monarch has ever made a state visit to Israel, but rumors have been circulating that Charles is considering such a move.
The escalating conflict in the region will likely make that impossible for security reasons in the short term as attention turns to the significant loss of life.
Charles visited Israel twice, in 1995 and 2016, for the funerals of Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, though a more substantial royal visit to Israel was made by Prince William in 2018.
The king's words came after U.S. President Joe Biden also condemned the attack on Israel.
"There are moments in this life, and I mean this literally when the pure unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world. The people of Israel lived through one such moment this weekend," Biden told reporters at the White House.
Hamas responded to Biden's speech in a statement released to Newsweek suggesting the president's words were "giving full cover" to Israel "to continue its massacres against defenseless children, women and the elderly."
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Update 10/11/23, 12 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
About the writer
Jack Royston is Newsweek's Chief Royal Correspondent based in London, U.K. He reports on the British royal family—including King Charles ... Read more