HUMZA Yousaf has said his in-laws have survived the night after being “trapped” in Gaza.
Speaking to the PA news agency on Tuesday, he described the situation as “pretty horrendous”, adding: “We heard from my mother-in-law this morning.
“Thankfully, she survived the night, they’re safe for now, but I use that term very loosely in terms of how safe they are.”
Throughout Monday night and into Tuesday morning, his mother-in-law Elizabeth El-Nakla said they could hear missiles and jets, causing them to be “terrified”.
“I think the worst thing is that they feel literally trapped,” he said.
“They’re being told to leave … but they have nowhere to go.
“As of an hour ago, the Rafah border had been bombed and even if it was open, there’s no guarantee of safe passage travelling between where they live and the Rafah border.”
Yousaf also told LBC News that the situation was "dire", adding that they have just a day’s supply of essentials left and are terrified of venturing out to a market.
Yousaf previously said that he and his wife Nadia El-Nakla (below) “cannot sleep”, adding: “We are constantly watching our phones. When our messages do get through, we're waiting for a reply.
The First Minister has also written to the Foreign Secretary urging them to call for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza to allow civilians to flee.
In a letter released to journalists on Wednesday, Yousaf told James Cleverley: “Too many innocent people have already lost their lives as a consequence of these completely unjustifiable and illegitimate attacks by Hamas.
“However, innocent men, women and children cannot, and should not, pay the price for the actions of a terrorist group.”
He added: “As a close friend and ally of Israel, I therefore ask the UK Government to call on the government of Israel to ensure innocent civilians are protected and to put in place an immediate ceasefire to allow the safe passage of civilians through the Rafah border.
“Furthermore, it should open a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to allow supplies, including food, fuel, water and medical supplies for those civilians who are trapped, helpless and cannot leave.”
