Prince William has sought to "bring comfort" to the families of seriously ill children from Gaza

A Kensington Palace spokesman told the Telegraph: "Recently, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales met a small number of children from Gaza who are currently receiving specialist care in the UK.

"The Prince wished to offer a moment of comfort to these young people who have endured experiences no child should ever face.

"The Prince was also able to offer his heartfelt gratitude to the NHS teams providing exceptional care during such a profoundly difficult time.

"His Royal Highness was moved by the courage shown by the children and their families, and by the dedication of the team who are supporting them with such professionalism and humanity."

The children and their immediate families were evacuated from Gaza to Jordan, where they were supported by British Embassy staff as they underwent "robust" security checks before travelling on to the UK, where they government ensure they receive "appropriate support".

Last year, William expressed his "concern" over the death toll in Gaza.

He said in a statement in February 2024: "'I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed.

"I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It's critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.

"Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

"Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that."

William's message - which was in stark contrast to Queen Elizabeth's policy of largely avoiding publicly commenting on politics - was released on William and Catherine's X account in white writing on a black background.

Kensington Palace said: "The Prince and Princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds.

"Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected."

He and wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, previously released a statement condemning Hamas, saying they were "profoundly distressed" at its onslaught in October 2023, which saw around 1,200 people, most of them civilians, slaughtered by the militants when they stormed southern Israel, while at least another 250 were seized as hostages.