Sussexes condemn ‘all acts of terrorism and brutality’ amid Israel-Hamas war

International aid groups said deaths in Gaza could accelerate as Israel prevents the passage of supplies.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have condemned ‘all acts of terrorism and brutality’ amid the growing Israel-Hamas war (PA)
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Laura Elston12 October 2023
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have condemned “all acts of terrorism and brutality” amid the growing Israel-Hamas war.

Harry and Meghan stopped short of singling out sides in a statement on their Archewell Foundation website and vowed to support efforts to send urgent aid to the region.

The Foreign Office has said family members of British diplomats are leaving Israel as a “precautionary measure”.

The war, ignited by a bloody and wide-ranging Hamas attack on Israel at the weekend, has already claimed at least 2,400 lives.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay has insisted Israel has “the right to do everything it can” to rescue hostages in Gaza.

Asked on Good Morning Britain on ITV if he has fears over the level of Israel’s retaliation in Gaza and concerns there may be breaches of international law, Mr Barclay said: “We think international law obviously should be followed and civilian casualties should be minimised.

“But we should also be very clear that the reason for this situation is because Hamas has taken hostages into Gaza and the Israeli Government has the right to do everything it can to rescue those hostages.”

International aid groups said deaths in Gaza could accelerate as Israel prevents the passage of food, water, fuel and medicine into the territory and after the region’s only power station ran out of fuel.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said hospitals in Gaza risk turning into morgues when their generators run out.

The Sussexes’ statement came a day after the King and the Prince and Princess of Wales condemned the “barbaric acts” and appalling “horrors” inflicted in Hamas’s attack on Israel.

Under the title With Heavy Hearts, the statement on Harry and Meghan’s Archewell site read: “At the Archewell Foundation, with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, we stand against all acts of terrorism and brutality.

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

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are temporarily drawing down dependants of staff at our embassy in Tel Aviv and our consulate in Jerusalem as a precautionary measure and in line with our travel advice, which advises against all but essential travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

“Our embassy and consulate remain fully staffed and continues to provide consular services to those who require assistance.”

Former head of MI6 Sir Alex Younger urged Israel not to do “what your enemy wants” and said its intense retaliation could end up creating more terrorists.

Sir Alex, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s The Today Podcast, said: “It’s really obvious now that Hamas are essentially laying a trap for Israel and will be well pleased if Israel commits itself to an open-ended, full-scale ground invasion of Gaza.

“Because of the scale and intensity of conflict that that would entail and the loss of innocent life that would inevitably follow, and the radicalisation that would engender and the extent to which it would put Israel’s allies and partners in the region in an impossible position.”

He added: “You cannot kill all the terrorists without creating more terrorists.

“And military operations of this kind very, very rarely succeed outside some kind of political strategy.”

Lt Col Richard Hecht, an Israeli military spokesman, told reporters on Thursday that forces “are preparing for a ground manoeuvre if decided” but the political leadership has not yet ordered one.

Concerns remain for the safety of British citizens in the region, with reports that 17 UK nationals are either dead or missing, including children.

On Wednesday, it was confirmed that another Briton died in the incursion by Hamas fighters on Saturday.

Jake Marlowe, 26, is among three known to have died. He was originally recorded as missing but was confirmed dead by the Israeli embassy in London.

Mr Marlowe was providing security at the Supernova music festival in the desert near Kibbutz Re’im when the area was invaded by Hamas gunmen, reportedly killing at least 260 people.

In the UK, antisemitic incidents have increased by more than 300% since Hamas’s attack on Israel, according to a Jewish security group.

The Community Security Trust, which represents British Jews on issues of racism and policing, said it recorded 89 incidents between October 7-10 classed as “anti-Jewish hate”.

It said it marked a 324% rise on the 21 antisemitic incidents recorded over the same period last year.

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