Scotland’s First Minister, Humza Yousaf, announced today that his wife Nadia’s parents, Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, successfully left Gaza through the Rafah crossing after being trapped in the conflict-torn region for weeks.
In a joint statement, Mr. Yousaf and Nadia expressed gratitude for the assistance received, particularly from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office crisis team. Despite the personal relief, the couple conveyed deep concern for the continued suffering of Gaza’s residents.
In a statement, Mr. Yousaf said:: “We are very pleased to confirm that Nadia’s parents were able to leave Gaza through the Rafah crossing this morning.
“We are grateful to all of those who have assisted our parents over the last few weeks, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office crisis team.
“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.
“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.
