Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf confirms his wife’s parents are among 92 Brits who escaped Gaza today as he says it is the end of ‘a living nightmare’ for the family
Scottish Prime Minister Humza Yousaf confirmed that his parents-in-law were among 92 Britons who were able to leave Gaza this morning, ending a weeks-long “living nightmare” for the family.
Elizabeth El-Nakla and her husband Maged – the parents of Mr Yousaf’s wife Nadia – were trapped when Israel besieged the area following the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, in which the group killed 1,400 people.
The couple – from Dundee – traveled to Gaza to visit family before the conflict broke out. Since then, Israel has unleashed a brutal bombardment on the territory, killing thousands of civilians as it attacked Hamas terror cells.
There are serious concerns for their safety, with Mr Yousaf saying on social media last week that they had lost contact with them during a telecommunications outage, leaving them without information about their welfare.
But the SNP leader and his wife confirmed this morning that the couple were part of a group of almost 100 people allowed into Egypt through the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza.
In a statement they said: ‘The past four weeks have been a living nightmare for our family, we are so grateful for all the messages of comfort and prayers we have received from around the world, and indeed across the political spectrum in the world. Scotland and Great Britain.’
Mr Yousaf added: “While we feel a sense of deep personal relief, we are deeply saddened by the continued suffering of the people of Gaza.
Elizabeth El-Nakla and her husband Maged – the parents of Mr Yousaf’s wife Nadia – were trapped when Israel besieged the area following the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, in which the group killed 1,400 people.
But the SNP leader and his wife confirmed this morning that the couple were part of a group of almost 100 people allowed into Egypt through the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza.
“We will continue to raise our voices to stop the killing and suffering of the innocent people of Gaza.
“We reiterate our calls for all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire and the opening of a humanitarian corridor to allow significant amounts of aid, including fuel, to flow to a population that has suffered collective punishment for far too long.” become. hostages released.
“Families in Gaza and Israel are suffering the loss of completely innocent men, women and children.
“We pray for them all, and pray that the international community will finally focus on achieving lasting peace in the region: a peace that recognizes that the rights and lives of Palestinians and Israelis are equal.”
The siege has left food, water, fuel and medical supplies dangerously low in the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2.3 million people.
Mr Yousaf’s wife, Nadia El-Nakla, has reported that her parents did not have clean drinking water and were facing “rapidly dwindling supplies”.
On Wednesday, the prime minister welcomed the opening of the Rafah crossing, allowing people to leave Gaza, but at the time his in-laws were not among those allowed to do so.
The list published overnight by the Palestinian Border Authority stated that those on it “must be present at the outer halls of the border crossing at 7 a.m. to facilitate their travel.”
The latest list of people allowed to leave Gaza – published by the Palestinian Border Authority – includes 92 people described as British nationals, out of a total of 127 people named under the British part of the list.
It comes amid major diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage for foreigners from the war-torn region to Egypt through the Rafah crossing.
About 200 Britons in Gaza have registered with authorities so far, and along with their family members, the total number for whom Britain is trying to secure passage is believed to be in the low hundreds.
The Foreign Office said on Thursday that more British nationals could reach Egypt after two British aid workers managed to flee Gaza a day earlier.
It declined to say how many, Press Association reported.
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said he could not provide details on the number of Britons expected to cross the border.
“I can’t really go into detail about this for the simple reason that there are a lot of moving parts. There are many different things that come together in those exit routes.
“Different families will have different pressures and different ways, so you will understand that it is not that easy to give a running commentary and that it would be the wrong thing to do.”
He told Sky News: ‘I can give absolute assurance that the British Government, from the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, me and many others, has been absolutely committed to ensuring that we provide the best possible service for British citizens. and that we help get them out of this incredibly dangerous situation.’
More than 9,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7, when Israel launched its military response to atrocities committed by Hamas.
Children await the arrival of Palestinian workers, who were in Israel during the October 7 Hamas attack, at the Rafah border after being sent back to the strip by Israel, in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 3
Aid agencies are battling a humanitarian crisis in the war-torn region with limited resources, amid calls for the government to step up their efforts.
It is understood that Foreign Minister James Cleverly spoke with Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Jordan, and UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
He also spoke to Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer about ensuring British nationals can enter Egypt safely as soon as possible.
It is said that the United Kingdom has shrewdly reiterated Britain’s solidarity with Israel and its commitment to finding a two-state solution to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian crisis.