King Charles III has urged the world to be more understanding and compassionate as tensions over the situation in Israel and Gaza continue to escalate.
In a speech at Mansion House in the City of London on Wednesday night, the 74-year-old British monarch said society needed "to remind ourselves to engage in a way which is passionate, but not pugnacious."
Charles continued: "This includes the practice of our religious faiths, in freedom and mutual understanding."
The King added that one of his first moves after his accession to the throne was to open the doors of Buckingham Palace for a reception for faith leaders so that he could "welcome them, with respect and indeed love, and to re-dedicate my life to protecting the space for faith itself within our shores."
While he did not refer directly to the Israel-Hamas war and the escalating humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, Charles said understanding between religions "both at home and overseas" was "vital" during "times of international turmoil and heartbreaking loss of life." (Watch his wide-ranging speech here.)
His remarks came in the wake of protests in the Middle East and North Africa after a blast ripped through a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday, killing hundreds of Palestinians.
Last week, Charles also led his family in condemning the escalating violence and denouncing Hamas' "barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel" on October 7.
As the situation in Israel and Gaza continues to unfold, many people far from the conflict are nonetheless exposed to countless images, news reports, and of course social media. All this exposure can take a toll on your mental health.
Prince William and Catherine spent last week raising awareness about the public's mental health. The couple even joined some young athletes in exercises geared toward mental resilience (check out the video here).
Find out more about how you can protect your mental health while keeping abreast of the Israel-Hamas war here.
We'll return to regular newsletter sends next week.
Until then,
Max & Lauren
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