Prince William meets 'courageous' child survivors of Israel's genocide in Gaza

Prince William has met severely ill children evacuated from Gaza who survived Israel's ongoing genocide, during a private visit to NHS hospitals now caring for dozens of young patients whose lives were shattered by months of indiscriminate bombardment.

Kensington Palace said the Prince of Wales "was moved by the courage" of the children and their families, who were flown to the UK after Israeli strikes destroyed their homes, hospitals and neighbourhoods across the enclave.

Only fifty children and their immediate relatives have been brought to Britain so far under a government medical evacuation programme.

A palace spokesperson said William had wished "to offer a moment of comfort to these young people who have endured experiences no child should ever face", adding that he expressed "heartfelt gratitude" to NHS teams providing care.

The prince’s visit comes at a moment when the UK faces mounting scrutiny over its continued military, intelligence and diplomatic support for Israel throughout the war on Gaza, which has killed over 70,000 people and injured more than 169,000 - most of whom were women and children.

Palestinian and human-rights groups argue that the same government now treating injured children helped enable the conditions that forced their evacuation.

UK arms, intelligence and diplomatic backing for Israel

While the very limited medical evacuations have been presented as a humanitarian gesture, the UK has simultaneously supported Israel's war through arms exports, intelligence cooperation and political cover.

British weapons transfers to Israel consist largely of components used in aircraft and targeting systems, including for the F-35 fighter jet fleet that has repeatedly struck civilian areas in Gaza.

Export data shows that in late 2024, the UK approved £127.6 million worth of military equipment to Israel in a single quarter, more than the total approved in the previous four years combined.

Customs records indicate record-high monthly exports in mid-2025, including more than 100,000 bullets shipped in one month.

In September 2024, ministers suspended around 30 licences for items "for use in Gaza", acknowledging a "clear risk" of serious violations of international humanitarian law.

But roughly 300 licences remain active. Notably, components for F-35 jets were explicitly exempted from the suspension, a decision rights groups say undermines any claim of due diligence.

Since late 2023, the Royal Air Force has also flown more than 600 surveillance missions over Gaza and southern Israel from the UK's Cyprus base, officially framed as hostage-related but widely understood by analysts to contribute to Israel's broader targeting picture.

The UK's role in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which shares Middle East intercepts with the United States, further deepens concerns that British data may have enabled Israeli strikes that devastated civilian areas.

Diplomatically, successive governments have continued to defend Israel’s conduct under the banner of "self-defence", resisted calls for an arms embargo, and used their position in international forums to shield Israel from stronger censure.

At the same time, London has increased humanitarian pledges to Palestinians, a balance critics say is designed to offset the political and legal fallout of continued military support.

Legal challenges brought by Palestinian organisations and UK-based groups argue that ongoing export licences breach the UK's own rules, given the documented pattern of unlawful attacks on civilians.

A High Court ruling in 2025 rejected one major case on jurisdictional grounds, but litigation continues.

Children uprooted by war meet the future king

Against this backdrop, the prince's meeting with Gaza's wounded children carried added resonance. Many of the young patients suffered blast injuries, burns or untreated chronic conditions made life-threatening by Israel's destruction of medical facilities.

The government confirmed: "Fifty patients and their immediate family members are now receiving care in surroundings that are safe and welcoming."

William previously met Palestinian children during a 2018 visit to a West Bank refugee camp, where he observed daily life under Israeli occupation.

The palace said this latest visit was intended to "offer a moment of comfort", with the prince said to be deeply affected by the resilience of the children and the dedication of the medical teams supporting them.