HUMZA Yousaf has provided an update on the wellbeing of his parents-in-law, who are currently trapped in Gaza.
On Saturday, the First Minister said he was unsure whether his mother-in-law and her husband were dead or alive after communication and internet access in Gaza were severed amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes.
However, on Sunday morning he confirmed that he and his wife, Nadia El-Nakla, had heard from them and that they were alive.
He said on X/Twitter: “We heard from my in-laws in Gaza this morning, they are alive, thank God.
“However, they have run out of clean drinking water.
“The UN resolution must be implemented.
“We need the violence to stop, and for significant amounts of aid to get through without delay.”
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday National, Yousaf criticised the UK Government’s decision to abstain from a UN vote calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
He said the UK had done “next to nothing” to advocate for peace.
He added: “And of course for the 200 UK citizens that are in Gaza, including my own mother-in-law and father-in-law, they have left them abandoned in a war zone for three weeks.
“I am very angry. My anger is because there are thousands, literally thousands of children who have lost their lives and will continue to lose their lives if the violence does not cease.”
It comes after the Israel Defence Forces told all residents of northern Gaza to “temporarily relocate” as it expands its ground operation.
However, since communications were severed on Friday many are concerned that the message has little chance of being heard by civilians in the area.
