King Charles "appalled" by "barbaric acts of terrorism" in Israel following Hamas attacks

11 October 2023, 16:54 | Updated: 11 October 2023, 17:08

King Charles has said he's "appalled" by the "barbaric acts of terrorism" in Israel, with more than 1,200 Israeli civilians confirmed dead following a rampage by Hamas militants.

The monarch has asked to be "actively updated" following attacks which saw Israel hit back, killing hundreds in Gaza.

It comes as hundreds of thousands of Israeli army reservists gathered near the Gaza border in preparation for an expected ground attack.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "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."

He added: "His Majesty is appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel."

His comments come as Israel reels from what is thought to be the worst loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust.

Its leaders have vowed to remove Hamas' capability to attack its citizens and is expected to being a ground invasion after pummelling the Gaza strip with air attacks.

Israel has called up some 300,000 soldiers to fight, using its extensive system of part-time reserve soldiers to bolster its regular ranks.

Read more: British-Israeli female soldier heads to Israel to fight after 'friends murdered and missing' in Hamas attack

Read more: Gaza will become a 'tent city': Israel masses 300,000 troops for invasion as it issues chilling warning to Hamas

But an invasion into the dense and heavily urbanised strip, which is home to some two million people, would be bloody and an extremely difficult task for its army.

Hamas captured dozens of hostages as its terrorists rampaged in southern Israel, massacring towns, and it has threatened to execute them in retaliation for strikes on the strip.

But the Israeli forces have been undeterred, with Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the IDF, said the military is preparing "to execute the mission we have been given by the Israeli government… to make sure that Hamas, at the end of this war, won't have any military capabilities by which they can threaten or kill Israeli civilians".

Ahead of Charles' comments, foreign secretary James Cleverly travelled to Israel.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said he was there to "demonstrate the UK's unwavering solidarity with the Israeli people following Hamas's terrorist attacks".

However, soon after his arrival the ongoing threat of attacks from Hamas triggered air raid sirens, with Cleverly spotted running for shelter.