Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf confirmed his parents-in-law are among 92 Brits 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 laid siege to the territory following the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, in which the group killed 1,400 people.
The couple – who are from Dundee – travelled to Gaza to visit family prior to the conflict erupting. Since then, Israel has unleashed a ruthless bombardment on the territory, killing thousands of civilians as it targets Hamas terror cells.
There have been serious concerns for their safety, with Mr Yousaf last week taking to social media to say they had lost contact with them amid a telecommunications blackout, leaving them with no information on their well being.
But the SNP leader and his wife confirmed this morning that the couple were among an almost 100-strong group permitted to enter Egypt through the Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza.
In a statement they said: ‘These last four weeks have been a living nightmare for our family, we are so thankful for all of the messages of comfort and prayers that we have received from across the world, and indeed from across the political spectrum in Scotland and the UK.’
Mr Yousaf added: ‘Although we feel a sense of deep personal relief, we are heartbroken at 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 laid siege to the territory 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 among an almost 100-strong group permitted to enter Egypt through the Rafah border 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 sides to agree to an immediate ceasefire, the opening of a humanitarian corridor so that significant amounts of aid, including fuel, can flow through to a population that have suffered collective punishment for far too long, and for all hostages to be released.
‘Families in Gaza and Israel are suffering after the loss of entirely innocent men, women and children.
‘We pray for them all, and pray that the international community at last focuses on achieving a lasting peace in the region: one that recognises that the rights and lives of Palestinians and Israelis are equal.’
The siege has left food, water, fuel and medical supplies running dangerously low in the Gaza Strip, which is home to more than 2.3 million people.
Mr Yousaf’s wife, Nadia El-Nakla, has reported her parents were without clean drinking water and faced ‘rapidly diminishing supplies’.
On Wednesday, the First Minister welcomed the opening of the Rafah crossing which allowed people to leave Gaza, but at the time his in-laws were not among those permitted to do so.
The list published overnight by the Palestinian Border Authority said those named on it must be ‘present at 7am in the outdoor halls of the crossing to facilitate their travel’.
The latest list of people who will be permitted to leave Gaza – published by the Palestinian border authority – includes 92 people described as British citizens, out of a total of 127 people named under the UK section of the list.
It comes amid major diplomatic efforts to secure foreign nationals safe passage out of the war-torn region and into Egypt through the Rafah crossing.
Around 200 Britons in Gaza have so far registered with the authorities, and along with their dependents the total number the UK is trying to secure passage for is thought to be in the low hundreds.
The Foreign Office said on Thursday that more UK nationals were able to make it into Egypt after two UK 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 go into detail about the number of Britons expected to cross the border.
‘I really can’t go into detail for the very simply reason that there is a lot of moving parts, there is a lot of different issues that come together in those exit routes.
‘Different families will have different pressures and different ways, so you will understand that it is not very easy to give a running commentary and it would be the wrong thing to do.’
He told Sky News ‘I can give this absolute assurance that the UK Government from the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, me and many others, have been absolutely committed to making sure we look after British citizens as best as we possibly can and we help to 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 the atrocities committed by Hamas.
Children wait for the arrival of Palestinian workers, who were in Israel during the Hamas October 7 attack, at the Rafah border after being sent back by Israel to the strip, in the southern Gaza Strip, November 3
Aid agencies are battling a humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged territory with limited resources, amid calls for the Government to increase their efforts.
It is understood Foreign Secretary James Cleverly spoke to Ayman Safadi, minister of foreign affairs in Jordan, and UAE foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
He also spoke to Israel’s minister of strategic affairs, Ron Dermer, about ensuring British nationals are able to cross safely as soon as possible into Egypt.
Cleverly is said to have reiterated the UK’s solidarity with Israel and its commitment to finding a two-state solution to the on-going Israel-Palestine crisis.